How does the lungs know which is O2 and CO2? We breathe a ton of different gasses daily but what happens to the other gases other than O2 and CO2 when inhaled?
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How does Velcro know the difference between the other side of the velcro and a rock?
It doesn’t “know” anything, but when you rub the velcro against the rock, nothing really happens. When you rub it against other-velcro, it sticks.
That’s fundamentally what’s happening in your lungs. You breath in a mix of gasses, and the “Velcro” in your lungs grabs the oxygen, while letting the carbon dioxide (and nitrogen and whatever else) just exit when you breath out.
This is why breathing in helium (making funny balloon voices) can potentially be dangerous. Your lungs are breathing in and out, like normal, so your body thinks everything is alright. But no oxygen is being delivered, so the “Velcro” in your lungs has nothing to grab onto. If you take too many helium breaths without a normal oxygen breath in there, you can pass out.
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