Giraffes are Similar to Other Mammals
Giraffes breathe in oxygen and release carbon dioxide just like other mammals and humans do. When a giraffe breathes oxygen into its body, the air goes down the trachea and into the lungs. The lungs fill up with oxygen, and the giraffe's circulatory system takes this much-needed gas to the rest of the giraffe's body. Carbon dioxide is discharged into the atmosphere, which the trees and plants need for photosynthesis, when a giraffe breathes out.
Bigger Lungs and Longer Trachea
A giraffe's lungs are about eight times bigger than a person's lungs because if they weren't, a giraffe would breathe exactly the same air over and over again. Since the giraffe's trachea is not so short and narrow, there is a massive volume of dead air in the giraffe. Nevertheless, the giraffe's respiration rate is about one-third slower than guy's respiration speed to help with this dead air problem. When a fresh breath is taken by a giraffe, the breath that was old isn't completely expelled yet. The giraffe's lungs must be bigger to accomodate this atmosphere that is terrible and still allow its respiratory and circulatory systems to get oxygen to all parts.
A Giraffe's Heart Helps With Oxygen Delivery
A giraffe's heart is also larger than a person's heart since it has to pump oxygen-rich blood up 10 feet from the lungs. This requires about double the ordinary pressure demanded to pump oxygen-rich blood to some human brain. Another fascinating thing about the giraffe's body, then, is that when the giraffe lowers its head to get a drink of water, it does not actually blow its top. The giraffe has reinforced artery walls, bypass and anti-pooling a net of little arteries, valves, and sensors that give the brain just enough oxygen -rich blood.
Giraffes breathe in oxygen and release carbon dioxide just like other mammals and humans do. When a giraffe breathes oxygen into its body, the air goes down the trachea and into the lungs. The lungs fill up with oxygen, and the giraffe's circulatory system takes this much-needed gas to the rest of the giraffe's body. Carbon dioxide is discharged into the atmosphere, which the trees and plants need for photosynthesis, when a giraffe breathes out.
Bigger Lungs and Longer Trachea
A giraffe's lungs are about eight times bigger than a person's lungs because if they weren't, a giraffe would breathe exactly the same air over and over again. Since the giraffe's trachea is not so short and narrow, there is a massive volume of dead air in the giraffe. Nevertheless, the giraffe's respiration rate is about one-third slower than guy's respiration speed to help with this dead air problem. When a fresh breath is taken by a giraffe, the breath that was old isn't completely expelled yet. The giraffe's lungs must be bigger to accomodate this atmosphere that is terrible and still allow its respiratory and circulatory systems to get oxygen to all parts.
A Giraffe's Heart Helps With Oxygen Delivery
A giraffe's heart is also larger than a person's heart since it has to pump oxygen-rich blood up 10 feet from the lungs. This requires about double the ordinary pressure demanded to pump oxygen-rich blood to some human brain. Another fascinating thing about the giraffe's body, then, is that when the giraffe lowers its head to get a drink of water, it does not actually blow its top. The giraffe has reinforced artery walls, bypass and anti-pooling a net of little arteries, valves, and sensors that give the brain just enough oxygen -rich blood.