Exchange Surfaces Flashcards

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1
Q

How does the SA:V ratio change as an organism increases in size?

A

The SA:V ratio decreases because there is less surface area for the exchange of material compared to the number of cells within that organism

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2
Q

How are eukaryotic cells adapted to deal with the smaller SA:V ratio?

A

They contain mitochondria, specialist cells for respiration, which have a large surface area.

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3
Q

What is the SA:V like for prokaryotic organisms?

What does this result in?

A

Very large

It allows them to meet the cells energy requirements through respiration that occurs across the plasma membrane only

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4
Q

What are some features of a good exchange surface?

A

-Large surface area
-A small distance to travel across/thin barrier
-A good blood supply
All maintain a steep conc gradient

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5
Q

Why do some organisms require a faster metabolism than others?

A

If they are more active

Eg. Hibernating animals don’t move

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6
Q

What muscles help to produce breathing movements/ventilation?

A

The intercostal muscles that hold the ribs together and the diaphragm.

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7
Q

What molecules are able to cross the alveolus wall and the wall of the blood capillary? Why is this?

A

Oxygen and carbon-dioxide

Because the molecules are small and non-polar

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8
Q

How many cells thick is the capillary wall and the alveoli wall?

A

1 cell thick

1 cell thick

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9
Q

What happens during inspiration?

A
  • The diaphragm contracts to move down and become flatter
  • the external intercostal muscles contract to raise the ribs
  • volume of chest cavity increases
  • pressure within chest cavity drops below atmospheric pressure
  • air moved into the lungs
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10
Q

What happens during expiration?

A
  • The diaphragm relaxes and is pushed up
  • external intercostal muscles relax and ribs fall
  • internal intercostal muscles can contract to help push air out during sneezing, coughing or exercise
  • volume of chest cavity decreases
  • pressure rises above the atmospheric pressure
  • air is moved out of the lungs
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11
Q

What are alveoli walls comprised of?

A
  • Squamous epithelium which are flattened/thin cells

- elastic fibres that stretch during inspiration and recoil during expiration

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12
Q

What are the airways lined by?

A

Ciliated epithelium

  • goblet cells in the epithelium produce mucus to trap pathogens
  • the cilia then waft mucus to the top of the airway where it’s swallowed
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13
Q

How are the trachea and bronchi adapted to carry out their function?

A
  • They are supported by rings of c-shaped cartilage to withstand high pressures and to allow movement (rather than being a full ring)
  • They are large enough to allow sufficient airflow
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14
Q

What are bronchioles comprised of?

A

Smooth muscle and elastic fibres

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15
Q

Why is it necessary for smooth muscle to contract within the airways?

A

This will constrict the lumen and restrict harmful substances in the air from entering the alveoli

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16
Q

What is an operculum?

A

A bony plate that covers gills

17
Q

What does a gill consist of?

A
  • Two rows of gill filaments (primary lamellae) attached to a bony arch.
  • the surface of the gill filaments is folded into many secondary lamellae where blood capillaries carry deoxygenated blood to the surface of
18
Q

How does countercurrent flow work within fish?

A

Blood flows along the gill arch and out along the filaments to the secondary lamellae, the blood then flows through the capillaries in the opposite direction of the flow of water over the lamellae.

19
Q

How can bony fish maintain water flow over their gills?

A

By using a buccal-opercular pump. The buccal cavity(mouth) can change volume. The floor of the mouth moves down drawing water into the buccal cavity. The mouth is closed and the floor is raised again pushing water from the buccal cavity, as this happens the operculum moves outwards reducing pressure in the operculum cavity galling water to flow through the gills.

20
Q

What type of circulatory system to insects have?

A

Open circulatory system

21
Q

Explain the tracheal-system that insects possess?

A

Air enters the system via a spiracle (a pore in each segment). The air is transported via tracheae which divide into smaller and smaller tubes called tracheoles. The ends of the tracheoles are filled with tracheal fluid. Exchange occurs between the air in the tracheoles and the tracheal fluid and some across the thin walls of the tracheoles.

22
Q

What happens when insect tissues are active?

A

Tracheal fluid can be withdrawn into the body fluid to increase surface are in the tracheoles for exchange to take place.

23
Q

How can insects ventilate their tracheal system?

A
  • Sections of the tracheal system can be expanded due to flexible walls. These act as air sacs and can expand and contract through repetitive action of flight muscles.
  • movement of the wings can alter the volume of the thorax. Higher volume in the thorax means that pressure drops and air is pushed in from the outside and visa versa
24
Q

What is a spirometer?

A

A machine that can give readings of tidal volume, vital capacity, breathing rate and oxygen uptake

25
Q

How does a spirometer work?

A
  • It has an oxygen filled chamber with a moveable lid
  • The person breathes through a tube connected to the chamber which goes through soda lime to absorb carbon dioxide and allow measurement of oxygen consumption
  • The lid of the chamber moves up and down as the person breathes in and out
26
Q

What is the vital capacity?

A

The maximum volume of air that can be moved by the lungs in one breath
Usually within the region of 2.5-5.0dm^3

27
Q

What is the residual volume?

A

The volume of air that remains in the lungs after forced expiration
Typically 1.5dm^3

28
Q

What is the tidal volume?

A

The volume of air moved in and out with each breath at rest

typically 0.5 dm^3

29
Q

What is oxygen uptake?

A

The decrease in the volume of gas in the spirometer chamber.

Can be found by recording the average gradient of the trace.

30
Q

How can breathing rate be calculated from a spirometer trace?

A

By counting the number of each peaks in each minute

31
Q

What precautions should be taken when using a spirometer?

A
  • Subject should be healthy and free from asthma
  • soda lime should be fresh and functioning
  • no air leaks in apparatus
  • sterilised mouthpiece
32
Q

Which polysaccharide is found in the exoskeleton and tracheae walls of insects?

A

Chitin