3.3.1-3.3.3 exchange Flashcards
how does an organism’s size relate to their surface area to volume ratio?
the larger the volume, the lower the surface area to volume ratio
what substances do organisms need to exchange with their environment and why?
- cells need to take in oxygen (for aerobic respiration) and nutrients
- need to excrete waste products like carbon dioxide and urea
- need to stay roughly same temp, so heat needs to be exchanged
how might a large organism adapt to compensate for its small SA:V ratio?
- changes that increase SA e.g. folding; body parts become larger e.g. elephants ears; elongating shape; developing specialised gas exchange surface
why do multicellular organisms require specialised gas exchange surfaces as opposed to single-celled organisms?
- their smaller SA:V ratio means its difficult to exchange enough substances to supply a large volume of animal through relatively small outer surface as opposed to a smaller, single-celled organisms
- also, some cells are deep within the body, distance to be crossed by substances is large
give examples of specialised gas exchange surfaces
lungs of mammals/birds
gills of fish
name three features of an efficient gas exchange surface
- large SA e.g. folded membranes in mitochondria or root hair of cells
- thin/short distance e.g. wall of capillaries
- steep concentration gradient, maintained by blood supply/ventilation e.g. alveoli
what are other characteristics allow efficient exchange of materials across specialised gas exchanges?
- selectively permeable membrane to allow selected materials to cross
- movement of environmental medium e.g. air to maintain diffusion gradient
- transport system to ensure movement of internal medium e.g. blood, in order to maintain a diffusion gradient
what is Ficks’s law?
diffusion ∝ (SA x conc gradient)/ diffusion distance
why are specialised exchange surfaces often located WITHIN an organism?
b/c being thin they can easily become damaged or dehydrated
what does rate of heat loss from an organism depend on?
its surface area
- organism with large vol e.g. hippo, has a small SA so its harder to lose heat from its body
why do smaller organisms have a higher metabolic rate?
- smaller organisms have large SA (relative to their volume), so heat is lost more easily
- means they have high metabolic rates to generate enough heat to stay warm
(high metabolic rates mean they need to consume more calories, more calories means more energy so can generate heat)
discuss how organisms with high SA:V ratio adapt to lose less water
- they lose more water as it evaporates from their surface
- so some desert mammals have kidney structure adaptations so they produce less urine to compensate
discuss how some organisms support their high metabolic rates
- small mammals in cold regions need to eat large amounts of high energy foods e.g. seeds and nuts
why do large organisms (e.g. elephants and hippos) in hot regions need to adapt and how do they?
- they find it hard to keep cool b/c their heat loss is relatively slow
- e.g. elephants have developed large flat ears to increase SA, allowing them to lose more heat
- hippos spend much of day in water - a behavioural adaptation to help them lose heat
how do single-celled organisms exchange?
- they absorb and release gases by diffusion through their outer surface
- they tend to be small, have large SA and a short diffusion pathway
what kind of SA:V ratio do fishes have?
- relatively small SA:V ratio
why do fishes need a specialised gas exchange surface?
- small SA:V ratio
- they have an impermeable membrane so gases can’t diffuse through their skin
- also there’s lower conc of oxygen in water than in air, so they need special adaptions to get enough
name and describe the two main features of a fish’s gas transport system
gills: located within body, supported by arches, made up of thin plates called gill filaments (multiple projections stacked up in piles) which increase SA for exchange
lamellae: structures on gill filaments which increase SA. Blood and water flow across them in opposite directions (counter-current exchange system)
A fish uses its gills to absorb oxygen from water. Explain how the gills of a fish are adapted for efficient gas exchange
- Large S.A. due to the lamellae
- thin epithelium = short distance between water and blood
- water and blood flow in opposite directions so maintains C.G. along gill
- circulation replaces blood saturated with oxygen
- ventilation replaces water (o2 is removed)
- lamellae has lots of blood capillaries and thin surface of cells to speed up diffusion
Explain how the counter-current mechanism in fish gills ensures the maximum amount of the oxygen passes into the blood flowing through the gills (3)
- water and blood flow in opposite directions in lamallae (counter-current exchange)
- blood always passes water which has a higher 02 conc.
- so large concentration gradient is maintained across the whole gill
Explain why a vein may be described as an organ (1)
Made up of different tissues
explain the process of gas exchange in fish
- fish opens mouth to enable water to flow in, closes its mouth to increase pressure
- water passes over lamellae, and oxygen diffuses into bloodstream from water (they flow in opposite directions i.e. countercurrent system)
- waste carbon dioxide diffuses into water and flows back out of gills
how does the countercurrent exchange system maximise oxygen absorbed by the fish?
- maintains a steep concentration gradient (equilibrium never reached), as water is always next to blood of a lower oxygen concentration
- so keeps rate of diffusion and enables 80% of available oxygen to be absorbed
in relation to fish gills, describe what is meant by countercurrent flow
movement of water and blood in opposite directions across gill lamellae
outline why countercurrent flow is an efficient means of exchanging gases across gills of fish
- b/c of steady diffusion gradient maintained over whole length of gill lamellae (equilibrium never reached as high O2 conc of water meets high O2 conc of blood)
- therefore more oxygen diffuses from water into the blood
what adaptation would a more fast-swimming fish have than a slower one?
- more gill filaments/gill lamellae so larger SA
water flow over fish gills is one-way whereas the flow of air in and out of lungs is two-way. Suggest why one-way flow is an advantage to fish
less energy required because flow doesn’t have to be reversed (important as water is dense and difficult to move)
what would happen if flow of blood and water were the same in the gills of fish? (parallel flow)
- diffusion gradient would only be maintained across part of the length of the gill lamellae and only 50% of available oxygen would be absorbed by the blood (compared to 80% in countercurrent flow)
briefly explain gas exchange in insects
- insects don’t possess transport system so O2 needs to be transported directly to
respiring tissues - achieved with the help of spiracles, small openings of tubes, either bigger trachea or smaller tracheoles, which run into the body of an insect and
supply it with the required gases - gases move in and out through diffusion, mass transport as a
result of muscle contraction and as a result of volume changes in the tracheoles
why can’t insects use their bodies as an exchange surface?
- they have waterproof chitin exoskeleton and a small SA:V ratio to conserve as much water as possible
name and describe the three main features of an insect’s gas transport system
spiracles: holes in body’s surface which may be opened or closed by a valve for gas or water exchange
tracheae: large tubes extending through all body tissues, supported by rings to prevent collapse
tracheoles: smaller branches dividing off the tracheae
explain the process of gas exchange in insects
- trachea containes pores: spiracles. Air moves through spiracles
- oxygen moves into the cell, down a conc gradient (conc of O2 outside cell is higher than inside cell)
- to reach individual cells of insect’s body, the trachea branch off into smaller tracheoles
- like oxygen, carbon dioxide also moves down a conc gradient, from inside cell to spiracles. Eventually CO2 released to atmosphere
- rhythmic abdominal movements facilitate the moving in and out of air in the spiracles
what system have insects developed for gas exchange?
tracheal system
explain different ways in which an insect’s tracheal system is adapted for efficient gas exchange
- tracheoles have thin walls so short diffusion distance to cells
- highly-branched/large no. of tracheoles so:
- short diffusion distance to cells
- large SA for gas exchange - trachea provide tubes full of air so fast diffusion (into insect tissues)
- fluid in end of tracheoles that moves out (into tissues) during exercise so larger SA (for gas exchange)
- Body can be moved (by muscles) to move air so maintain diffusion/conc gradient for oxygen/carbon dioxide
describe the walls of tracheoles
thin and permeable and go to individual cells
- means oxygen diffuses directly into the respiring cells
(insect’s circulatory system doesn’t transport O2)
why do insects keep their spiracles closed most of the time?
to prevent water loss
why insects open their spiracles periodically?
to allow gas exchange
explain why there is a conflict in terrestrial insects between gas exchange and conserving water
- gas exchange requires a thin permeable surface with a large area
- conserving water requires thick, waterproof surfaces with a small area
explain how the tracheal system limits the size of insects
- b/c it relies on diffusion to bring oxygen to the respiring tissues
- if insects were large it would take too long for oxygen to reach the tissues rapidly enough to supply their needs
how does a diffusion gradient facilitate exchange in insects
when cells respire, oxygen is used up and so its conc is lower towards end of tracheoles
- creates diffusion gradient that causes oxygen to diffuse from atmosphere and along trachea and tracheoles
- carbon dioxide produced by cells during respiration, creates diffusion gradient in opposite direction
- so CO2 diffuses along tracheoles and trachea from cells to atmosphere
how does a diffusion gradient facilitate exchange in insects
when cells respire, oxygen is used up and so its conc is lower towards end of tracheoles
- creates diffusion gradient that causes oxygen to diffuse from atmosphere and along trachea and tracheoles
- carbon dioxide produced by cells during respiration, creates diffusion gradient in opposite direction
- so CO2 diffuses along tracheoles and trachea from cells to atmosphere
note: diffusion in air much more rapid than in water, respiratory gases are exchanged quickly like this
how does mass transport facilitate exchange in insects
- contraction of muscles in insects can squeeze trachea enabling mass movements of air in and out
- further speeds up exchange of respiratory gases
how is air brought into tracheoles when insects respire anaerobically?
- when insect is in flight the muscle cells start to respire anaerobically to produce lactate
- lowers water potential of the cells, and so water moves from the tracheoles into the cells by osmosis
- this decreases the water volume in the tracheoles and as a result more air from the atmosphere is draw in
note: this increases rate which air is moved in the tracheoles but leads to greater water evaporation !!!
name the process by which carbon dioxide is removed from a single-celled organism
diffusion over the body surface
how do dicotyledonous plants exchange gases with their environment?
through stomata
- stomata are the tiny pores mainly on leaves
draw the structure of a leaf
- google search this*
state two ways gas exchange in plants is similar to that of insects
- no living cell is far from the external air and so air is a source of oxygen and carbon dioxide (respiratory gases)
- diffusion takes place in the gas phase (air), (which makes it more rapid than if it were in water)
- diffuse air through pores in outer covering (can control opening and closing of these pores)
how do gases move in and through a plant?
diffusion b/c there’s no specific transport system for gases
name and describe three adaptations of a leaf that allow efficient gas exchange
- short diffusion pathway: many stomata so no cell is far from a stomata
- air-spaces throughout mesophyll cells so gases readily come in contact with mesophyll cells and allows gases to move around leaf, facilitating diffusion
- large SA of mesophyll cells for rapid diffusion (leaf also thin and fla to provide short diffusion pathway and large SA:V ratio)
how is the diffusion gradient in a leaf maintained?
by mitochondria carrying out respiration and chloroplasts carrying out photosynthesis
state two differences between gas exchange in plant leaf and gas exchange in a terrestrial insect
any 2 of the following:
- insects have a smaller SA:V ratio than plants
- insects have special structures (trachea) along which gases can diffuse, plants don’t
- insects don’t interchange gases between respiration and photosynthesis, plants do
- insects may create mass air flow, plants never do
explain the advantage to a plant being able to control the opening and closing of stomata
helps to control water loss by evaporation/transpiration
why is it important stomata can open and close?
- to prevent water loss
- to allow gas exchange (like respiratory gases)
where are stomata mainly found?
underside of leaves
what three adaptations have insects evolved to reduce water loss?
- small SA:V ratio to minimise area over which water is lost
- waterproof coverings over body surfaces (in insects this is rigid outer skeleton made of chitin with waterproof cuticle)
- spiracles are openings in tracheae at body surface and can be closed to reduce water loss (conflicts w/ need for oxygen so largely occurs when insects are at rest)
why can’t plants have a small SA: ratio to limit water loss?
this conflicts with photosynthesis
- photosynthesis requires large leaf SA for capture of light and exchange of gases
why can’t plants have a small SA: ratio to limit water loss?
this conflicts with photosynthesis
- photosynthesis requires large leaf SA for capture of light and exchange of gases
what are terrestrial plants?
a plant that grows on, in, or from land
what are xerophytes?
- plants adapted to living in areas where water is in short supply (w/o these adaptations they’d become desiccated and die)
only name the adaptations of xerophytes to limit water loss?
- a thick cuticle
- rolling up leaves
- hairy leaves
- stomata in pits or grooves
- reduced SA:V ratio of leaves
how does ‘a thick cuticle’ limit the water loss in xerophytes?
the thicker the cuticle, the less water can escape by this means (reduces evaporation rate)
how does ‘rolling up of leaves’ limit the water loss in xerophytes?
- in most leaves stomata is in lower epidermis so rolling leaves protects lower epidermis from outside trapping a region of still air within rolled leaf
- region becomes saturated w/ water vapour and so very high water potential
- there’s no WP gradient between inside and outside of leaf so no water loss
how do ‘hairy leaves’ limit the water loss in xerophytes?
- thick layer of hairs on leaves, especially lower epidermis, traps still moist air next to leaf surface
- WP gradient between inside and outside of leaves is reduced, so slower diffusion, less water lost from air spaces
- so less water lost by evaporation
how does ‘stomata in pits or grooves’ limit the water loss in xerophytes?
- trap still,moist air next to leaf
- this reduces WP gradient, so slower diffusion, less water lost from air spaces
- hence less water lost by evaporation
how does ‘a reduced SA:V ratio of leaves’ limit the water loss in xerophytes?
- by having leaves small and circular in cross-section instead of broad and flat, the rate of water loss is reduced (less area for water to evaporate from)
- this reduction in SA is balanced against need for sufficient area for photosynthesis to meet requirements of plant
insects and plants face same problem when it comes to living on land. What is the main problem they share?
- efficient gas exchange requires thin, permeable surface with large area
- on land these features can lead to considerable loss of water by evaporation
state one modification to reduce water loss that is shared by plants and insects
any one of the following:
waterproof covering of body/ ability to close the openings of gas-exchnage system (stomata and spiracles)
state two reasons reasons why humans need to absorb large volumes of oxygen from the lungs
- have a large vol of cells/humans are large
- have a high body temp/high metabolic rate
what specialised surfaces have mammals evolved/developed?
lungs
- to ensure efficient exchange between air and their blood
why are mammalian lungs located inside the body?
- air isn’t dense enough to support and protect delicate structures
- body as a whole would lose a lot of water and dry out
list in the correct sequence all the structures that air passes through on its journey from the gas exchange surface of the lungs to the nose
alveoli, bronchioles. bronchus, trachea, nose
explain how the cells lining the trachea and bronchus protect the alveoli from damage
- cells produce mucus that traps particles of dirt and bacteria in air breathed in
- cilia on these cells move this debris up the trachea and into the stomach
- this dirt/bacteria could damage/cause infection in alveoli
describe the structure of the lungs
pair of lobed structures made up series of highly branched tubules - bronchioles - which end in tiny air sacs called alveoli
- surrounded by ribcage which serves to protect them
describe the trachea and its function in the mammalian gaseous exchange system
- flexible airway supported by rings of cartilage
- lined by ciliated epithelium cells which move muscus towards the throat to be swallowed - preventing lung infections
- carries air to the bronchi