Chapter 11

Suppose a medium-size mammal has a tidal volume of \(350 \mathrm{~mL}\). While breathing at 12 breaths/min, its alveolar ventilation is \(80 \%\) of the pulmonary ventilation. What is its anatomic dead-space volume?

In mammals, fetal Hb has a lower \(P_{50}\) than adult \(\mathrm{Hb}\). Explain how this favors \(\mathrm{O}_{2}\) transfer across the placenta.