Gas exchange is the delivery of oxygen from the lungs to the bloodstream, and the elimination of carbon dioxide from the bloodstream to the lungs. It occurs in the lungs between the alveoli and a network of tiny blood vessels called capillaries, which are located in the walls of the alveoli.

The alveoli are adapted to make gas exchange in lungs happen easily and efficiently. Here are some features of the alveoli that allow this: they give the lungs a really big surface area. they have moist, thin walls (just one cell thick)