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Biology: Module 3: Exchange & Transport > Exchange surfaces > Flashcards

Exchange surfaces Flashcards

1
Q

Why do multicellular organisms need specialised exchange surfaces?

A

Diffusion doesn’t have a fast enough rate

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2
Q

Why does diffusion not work in multicellular organisms?

A

Small surface area to volume ratio, high metabolic rate, large distance between where the oxygen and carbon dioxide is and where it needs to be

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3
Q

Features of efficient exchange surfaces

A

Increased surface area, thin layer, good blood supply or ventilation to maintain gradient

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4
Q

Example of thing with increased surface area

A

Root hair cells

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5
Q

Example of thing with a thin layer

A

Alveoli

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6
Q

Example of thing with good blood supply/ventilation

A

Gills, alveoli

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7
Q

Components of the mammalian gaseous exchange system (Muscles etc)

A

Cartilage, ciliated epithelium, goblet cells, smooth muscle, elastic fibres

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8
Q

Parts of the mammalian gaseous exchange system

A

Nasal cavity, trachea, bronchus, bronchioles, alveoli

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9
Q

Important features of the nasal cavity

A

Large surface area, good blood supply which warms the blood to body temperature, hairy lining to secrete mucus to trap dust, moist surfaces which increase the humidity to reduce evaporation from the exchange surfaces

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10
Q

What does the trachea do?

A

Main airway carrying clean, warm and moist air from the nose down into the chest

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11
Q

Things in the trachea

A

Cartilage, ciliated epithelium

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12
Q

What does cartilage do in the trachea?

A

Stops the trachea from collapsing, incomplete rings to allow food to move down the oesophagus behind the trachea

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13
Q

What does the ciliated epithelium do in the trachea?

A

Goblet cells secrete mucus on the lining of the trachea to trap dust and microorganisms, cilia waft the mucus away from the lungs towards the throat

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14
Q

Things in the bronchi

A

Cartilage, ciliated epithelium

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15
Q

Things in the bronchioles

A

Smooth muscle, thin layer of flattened epithelium

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16
Q

What does the smooth muscle do in the bronchioles?

A

When the smooth muscle contracts, the bronchioles constrict. When it relaxes, the bronchioles dilate. This changes the amount of air reaching the lungs.

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17
Q

What does the thin layer of flattened epithelium do in the bronchioles?

A

Makes some gaseous exchange possible

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18
Q

What does the alveoli do?

A

Main gas exchange surfaces of the body

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19
Q

Adaptations of alveoli

A

200-300 micrometres, large surface area so high surface area to volume ratio, good blood supply, good ventilation, thin layers, lung surfactant

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20
Q

Features of the alveoli

A

Collagen, elastin fibres

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21
Q

What do the elastin fibres do in the alveoli?

A

Allow alveoli to expand when inhaling, can recoil to original size when exhaling, helps expel air

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22
Q

Role of lung surfactant

A

It makes it possible for the alveoli to remain inflated

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23
Q

Parts of the body involved in mammal ventilation

A

Rib cage, internal and external intercostal muscles, diaphragm

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24
Q

What moves air in and out f the lungs?

A

Pressure changes in the thorax due to breathing movements

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25
Q

Ventilation

A

Movement of air

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26
Q

Role of rib cage in ventilation

A

Semi-rigid case within which pressure can be lowered with respect to the air outside it

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27
Q

Role of the diaphragm in ventilation

A

To form the floor of the thorax

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28
Q

Diaphragm

A

Broad, domed sheet of muscle

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29
Q

Where can you find the internal and external intercostal muscles?

A

Between the ribs

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30
Q

What lines the thorax?

A

Pleural membranes

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31
Q

Pleural cavity

A

Space between the pleural membranes

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32
Q

Role of the pleural cavity

A

To contain lubricating fluid to allow membranes to slide over each other as you breathe

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33
Q

Process of inspiration

A

Diaphragm contracts so it flattens and lowers, external intercostal muscles contract, ribs moved up and out, volume of thorax increases, pressure in thorax reduced so it is lower than air pressure, air drawn through the gaseous exchange system to equalise the pressure gradient

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34
Q

Is inspiration active?

A

Yes

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35
Q

Is expiration active?

A

No

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36
Q

Process of expiration

A

Diaphragm relaxes and moves up, external intercostal muscles relax, ribs move down and inwards under gravity, elastic fibres in the alveoli return to normal length, volume of thorax decreases, pressure inside thorax greater than air pressure, air moves out of lungs to even out pressure gradient

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37
Q

Process of forced expiration

A

Internal intercostal muscles contract, ribs pulled down hard and fast, abdominal muscles contract, diaphragm forced up, increased pressure in lungs

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38
Q

Triggers of asthma

A

House dust mites, cigarette smoke, pollen, stress

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39
Q

Process of an asthma attack

A

Cells lining the bronchioles release histamines, epithelial cells become inflamed and swollen, histamines stimulate goblet cells, more mucus, smooth muscle in bronchiole walls contract, airways narrow and fill with mucus

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40
Q

Ways to treat asthma

A

Relievers, preventers

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41
Q

How do relievers work?

A

Attach to active sites on the surface membrane of the smooth muscle in the bronchioles, relax and dilate the airways

42
Q

How do preventers work?

A

Reduce the sensitivity of the lining of the airways

43
Q

How to measure capacity of lungs

A

Peak flow meter, vitalographs, spirometer

44
Q

Peak flow meter

A

Device that measures the rate at which air is expelled from the lungs

45
Q

How do vitalographs work?

A

Patient breathes out as quickly as possible, instrument produces a graph of the air breathed out

46
Q

What do vitalographs measure?

A

Expiratory volume

47
Q

Components of lung volume

A

Tidal volume, vital capacity, inspiratory reserve volume, expiratory reserve volume, residual volume, total lung capacity

48
Q

Tidal volume

A

Volume of air that moves in and out of the lungs with a resting breath

49
Q

Average tidal volume

A

500cm^3

50
Q

Vital capacity

A

Volume of air that can be breathed in when the strongest possible exhalation is followed by the deepest possible intake of breath

51
Q

Inspiratory reserve volume

A

Maximum volume of air you can breathe in over and above a normal inhalation

52
Q

Expiratory reserve volume

A

Extra amount of air you can force out of your lungs over and above the normal tidal volume of air that you breath out

53
Q

Residual volume

A

Volume of air left in your lungs after exhaling as hard as possible

54
Q

Can you measure residual volume directly?

A

No

55
Q

Total lung capacity

A

Sum of the vital capacity and residual volume

56
Q

How expiratory reserve volume is represented on a spirometer graph

A

Line between troughs of tidal volume and start of the residual volume

57
Q

How inspiratory reserve volume is represented on a spirometer graph

A

Line between peak of tidal volume and top of total lung capacity

58
Q

How inspiratory capacity is represented on a spirometer graph

A

Line between trough of tidal volume and top of total lung capacity

59
Q

How vital capacity is represented on a spirometer graph

A

Line between top of residual volume and top of total lung capacity

60
Q

How residual volume is represented on a spirometer graph

A

Line beneath the lowest trough of tidal volume

61
Q

Breathing rate

A

Number of breaths taken per minute

62
Q

Ventilation rate

A

Total volume of air inhaled in one minute

63
Q

Equation for ventilation rate

A

Ventilation rate = Tidal volume x Breathing rate

64
Q

Relationship between tidal volume, breathing rate and oxygen uptake

A

As oxygen demand increases, tidal volume increases, breathing rate increases, oxygen uptake increases

65
Q

Where does air enter the system in insects?

A

Spiracles

66
Q

What can leave through the spiracles?

A

Air, water

67
Q

How do insects prevent water loss through the spiracles?

A

Can be opened or closed by sphincters, closed for as long as possible,

68
Q

What will cause the spiracles to open?

A

High carbon dioxide levels, high oxygen demand

69
Q

What leads away from the spiracles?

A

Tracheae

70
Q

Structure of the tracheae in insects

A

Lined with spirals of chitin

71
Q

Purpose of chitin in the tracheae in insects

A

Keep them open if bent or pressed, makes up the cuticle

72
Q

Why does little gaseous exchange occur in the tracheae?

A

The chitin lining it is impermeable

73
Q

What comes off the tracheae in insects?

A

Trachioles

74
Q

Where does most gaseous exchange occur in insects?

A

Trachioles

75
Q

How does air move along the tracheae/trachioles?

A

Diffusion

76
Q

How is a large surface area created in insects?

A

Lots of tiny tracheoles

77
Q

How does air get into the places it needs to in an insect?

A

Tracheal fluid in the tracheoles limits diffusion of oxygen into cells, lactic acid build up will cause water to leave the tracheoles by osmosis, oxygen can then diffuse into surrounding cells

78
Q

Role of tracheal fluid

A

To limit the penetration of air for diffusion

79
Q

How do insects get their oxygen?

A

Tracheal system

80
Q

What controls the extent of gas exchange in insects?

A

Opening and closing of spiracles

81
Q

Examples of insects with high energy demands

A

Locusts, grasshoppers, bees, wasps, flies

82
Q

Alternatives to tracheal system in insects

A

Mechanical ventilation of tracheal system, collapsible enlarged tracheae that act as air reservoirs

83
Q

How does mechanical ventilation of the tracheal system work?

A

Air pumped into system by muscular pumping of thorax and abdomen, movements change volume of the body, changes pressure in tracheae and tracheoles, air drawn into tracheae and tracheoles

84
Q

How do collapsible enlarged tracheae which act as air reservoirs work?

A

Increase the amount of air moved through the gas exchange system, inflated and deflated by ventilating movements of the thorax and abdomen

85
Q

Explanation for why fish have the gas exchange system that they have

A

Too much energy to move dense water in and out of lung like respiratory organs

86
Q

Adaptations of the gills

A

Large surface area, good blood supply, thin layers, tips of adjacent gill filaments overlap, water moving over the gills and the blood in the gill filaments flow in different directions

87
Q

Role of the operculum

A

To protect the gill cavity

88
Q

Parts of the gas exchange system in fish

A

Efferent blood vessel, afferent blood vessel, gill lamellae, gill filaments

89
Q

Role of the efferent blood vessel in fish

A

To carry the blood leaving the gills in the opposite direction to the incoming water to maintain a steep concentration gradient

90
Q

Role of the afferent blood vessel in fish

A

To bring blood into the system

91
Q

Role of the gill lamellae

A

Main site of gaseous exchange

92
Q

What do gill filaments need?

A

Flow of water to keep them apart to expose the large surface area needed for gaseous exchange

93
Q

Ram ventilation

A

Continuous movement of water to ventilate the gills

94
Q

Fish that do ram ventilation

A

Shark, ray

95
Q

Process of gas exchange in fish

A

Mouth opens, floor of buccal cavity lowers, volume of the buccal cavity increases, pressure in buccal cavity drops, water moves into the buccal cavity, opercular valve shuts, opercular cavity expands, pressure in opercular cavity drops, floor of the buccal cavity moves up, pressure increases, water moves from buccal cavity over the gills, mouth closes, operculum closes, sides of the opercular cavity move inwards, pressure in the opercular cavity increases, water moved over the gills and out of the operculum, floor of buccal cavity moves up, water flowed out of the gills

96
Q

Why do the tips of adjacent gill filaments overlap?

A

Increases resistance to the flow of water over the surfaces to slow down the movement of water so there is more time for gaseous exchange to take place

97
Q

Why does water move over the gills in a different direction to blood in the gill filaments?

A

Countercurrent exchange system is set up to ensure that a steeper concentration gradient is maintained than if water and blood moved in the same direction

98
Q

Tools needed for dissection

A

Sharp scissors, scalpels, tweezers, mounted needles

99
Q

Why are light microscopes used to look at dissected stuff?

A

More detail than can be seen with the naked eye, use of stains

100
Q

Why don’t single cellular organisms need specialised exchange surfaces?

A

High surface area to volume ratio, low metabolic activity, rate of diffusion is enough

101
Q

Equation for surface area of a sphere

A

4pir^2

102
Q

Equation for volume of a sphere

A

4/3pir^3

Biology: Module 3: Exchange & Transport (6 decks)

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