exchange - 3a Flashcards
What is the cohesion- tension theory?
This is the theory that water is drawn from the soil because the water molecules are cohesive (stick together) so when it is pulled up the leaf other water molecules will follow.
The tension is created from water moving up the plant against the force of gravity from roots to leaves
Describe what happens to make the volume of thorax increase during inspiration
The external intercostal muscles and diaphagm contract
The rib moves inwards and upwards so the diaphragm then flattens
The volume therefore increases as the lungs can expand as pressure decreases
What is tidal volume?
The volume of air in each breath
Describe how oxygen gets from lungs into blood
It passes through the alveolar epithelium and then through capillary endothelium into the haemoglobin in blood
Why does fibrosis scar tissue cause a reduced tidal volume?
The scar tissue is less elastic and is thicker than normal lung tissue, so they cannot expand as much which means they cannot hold as much air
How does the counter current system in fish aid gas exchange?
The water and blood flow in opposite directions which creates a steep concentration gradient along the entire length of a gill
Blood flows through lamallae in one direction and water over lamallae in another
Water with high 02 conc flows into blood with lower 02 conc
Oxygen will diffuse into blood from water down the gradient
What is the phloem tissue?
This transports organic substances like sugars up and down the plant
What is the xylem tissue?
The xylem tissue transports water and mineral ions in a solution from roots to leaves
Gill structure
- The gill is made up of gill filaments
- They are covered in tiny structures called lamallae
- Lamallae have a thin surface area and good blood supply
What is transpiration ?
The evaporation of water from a plants surface
- water evaporates through the moist cell wall and accumulates in the air spaces in the leaf
- water will move out through the stomata down the water potential gradient into the air (lower potential of water)
What is the ventilation rate?
The number of breaths per minute
Describe the features of alveoli and affect on diffusion
moist - helps gases pass membrane
one cell thick - short diffusion pathway
capillary network - good blood supply
collection - high surface area
steep concentration gradient between oxygen and carbon dioxide between alveoli and capillaries (maintained by blood flow and ventilation)
Structure of xylem
long, tube like
- formed from dead cells joined end to end
- no end walls so water can pass uninterrupted
factors affecting transpiration?
- light intensity
- wind levels
- humidity
- temperature
Give two adaptations a large animal might have to survive in a hot environment
- large ears to increase surface area
- spend time in water