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Biology > Exchange Surfaces and Breathing > Flashcards

Exchange Surfaces and Breathing Flashcards

1
Q

what are the main reasons diffusion is enough to supply the needs of single-celled organisms?

A
  • the metabolic activity of a single-celled organism is usually low, so the oxygen demands and carbon dioxide production of the cell are relatively low
  • the SA:V ratio of the organism is large
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2
Q

what are some characteristics of an effective exchange surface?

A
  • increased surface area
  • thin layers, so the distance the substances have to diffuse is short
  • good blood supply, which maintains a steep concentration gradient
  • ventilation to maintain diffusion gradient
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3
Q

why do humans have a high metabolic rate?

A

because they are active and maintain their body temperature independent from the environment

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4
Q

what are some important features in a nasal cavity?

A
  • large surface area with a good blood supply, which warms the air to body temp
  • has a hairy lining, which secretes mucus to trap dust and bacteria, protecting delicate lung tissue from irritation and infection
  • has moist surfaces, which increases humidity of the incoming air, reducing evapouration from the exchange surfaces
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5
Q

what is the trachea?

A

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

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6
Q

what keeps the trachea supported?

A

incomplete rings of strong, flexible cartilage, which stops the trachea from collapsing

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7
Q

why are the rings of the trachea incomplete?

A

so that food can move easily down the oesophagus behind he trachea

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8
Q

what is the trachea lined with?

A

ciliated epithelium, with goblet cells between and below the epithelial cells

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9
Q

what do goblet cells do in he trachea?

A

secrete mucus onto the lining of the trachea to trap dust and microorganisms that have escaped the nose lining

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10
Q

what do the cilia do in the trachea?

A

beat and move mucus, along with any trapped dirt and microorganisms, away from the lungs

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11
Q

what is an effect of smoking on the cilia in the trachea?

A

they stop beating

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12
Q

what do the trachea divide into in the chest cavity?

A

divides to form the left bronchus, leading to the left lung, and the right bronchus leading to the right lung

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13
Q

how is the structure of the bronchus similar to the trachea?

A

has the same supporting rings of cartilage, but they are smaller

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14
Q

what do the bronchi divide into in the lungs?

A

many small bronchioles

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15
Q

what do the smaller bronchioles not have?

A

cartilage rings

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16
Q

what do the walls of bronchioles contain?

A

smooth muscle

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17
Q

what happens when the smooth muscle in the walls of bronchioles contract and relax?

A

contract- the bronchioles constrict
relax- bronchioles dilate

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18
Q

what are bronchioles lined with?

A

a thin layer of flattened epithelium, making some gaseous exchanges possible

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19
Q

what are alveoli?

A

tint air sacs, which are the main gas exchange surfaces of the body`

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20
Q

what is the diameter of each alveolus?

A

around 200-300 um

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21
Q

what do alveolus consist of?

A

a thin layer of flattened epithelial cells, along with some collagen and elastic fibres

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22
Q

what do the elastic tissues in the alveoli allow?

A

allow the alveoli to stretch as air is drawn in

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23
Q

what is elastic recoil?

A

when the alveoli stretch to draw air in and return to resting size to help squeeze the air out

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24
Q

what are the main adaptations of the alveoli for effective gaseous exchange?

A
  • large surface area
  • thin layers
  • good blood supply
  • good ventilation
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25
Q

how is air moved in and out of the lungs?

A

as a result of pressure changes in the thorax (chest cavity) brought about by the breathing movements

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26
Q

what does the rib cage provide?

A

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

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27
Q

what is the diaphragm?

A

a broad, domed sheet of muscle, which forms the floor of the thorax

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28
Q

where are the external and internal intercostal muscles found?

A

in between the ribs

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29
Q

what is the thorax lined with?

A

the pleural membranes, which surround the lungs

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30
Q

what is the pleural cavity usually filled with?

A

a thin layer of lubricating fluid so the membranes slide easily over each other as you breathe

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31
Q

what happens in inspiration?

A
  • the dome shaped diaphragm contracts, flattening, and lowering
  • the external intercostal muscles contract, moving the ribs upwards and outwards
  • the volume of the thorax increases so the pressure in the thorax is reduced
  • it is now lower than the pressure of the atmospheric air, so air is drawn through the nasal passages, trachea, bronchi and bronchioles into the lungs
32
Q

what type of process is inspiration?

A

an energy-using process

33
Q

what type of process is expiration?

A

a passive process

34
Q

what happens in expiration?

A
  • the muscles of the diaphragm relax so it moves up into its resting domed shape
  • the external intercostal muscles relax so the ribs move down and inwards under gravity
  • the elastic fibres in the alveoli of the lungs return to their normal length
  • now the pressure inside the thorax is greater than the pressure of the atmospheric air, so air moves out of the lungs until the pressure inside and out is equal again
35
Q

how can the volume of air that is drawn in and out of the lungs be measured?

A
  • a peak flow meter
  • vitalograph
  • spirometer
36
Q

what is a peak flow meter?

A

a simple device that measure the rate at which air can be expelled from the lungs

37
Q

what are the aspects of lung volume that can ve measured?

A
  • tidal volume
  • vital capacity
  • inspiratory reserve volume
  • expiratory reserve volume
  • residual volume
  • total lung capacity
38
Q

what is tidal volume?

A

the volume of air that moves into and out of the lungs with each resting breath

39
Q

what is vital capacity?

A

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

40
Q

what is inspiratory reserve volume?

A

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

41
Q

what is expiratory reserve volume?

A

the extra amount of air you can force out of your lungs over and above the normal tidal volume of air you breathe out

42
Q

what is residual volume?

A

the volume of air that is left in your lungs when you have exhaled as hard as possible

43
Q

what is total lung capacity?

A

the sum of the vital capacity and residual volume

44
Q

what do recordings from a spirometer show?

A

the different volumes of air moved in and out of the lungs

45
Q

what is the breathing rate?

A

the number of breaths taken per minute

46
Q

what is the ventilation rate?

A

the total volume of air inhaled in one minute

47
Q

what is the equation for ventilation rate?

A

tidal volume x breathing rate per minute

48
Q

what happens when the oxygen demands of the body increases?

A

the tidal volume of air moved in and out of the lungs with each breath can increase from 15% to as much as 50% of the vital capacity

49
Q

why can diffusion into the body of insects not occur?

A
  • they have a touch exoskeleton through which little or no gas exchange can take place
  • they do not usually have blood pigments that carry oxygen
50
Q

what are spiracles?

A

small openings along the thorax and abdomen of most insects

51
Q

what enters and leaves through the spiracles of an insect?

A

air enters and leaves and water leaves

52
Q

how are spiracles opened and closed?

A

by sphincters

53
Q

are sphincters usually open or closed and why?

A

usually kept closed as much as possible to minimise water loss

54
Q

when are most spiracles open in an insect?

A

when the oxygen demand is raised or the carbon dioxide levels build up

55
Q

what leads away from the spiracles inside an insect?

A

tracheae

56
Q

what do tracheae carry in an insect?

A

air into the body

57
Q

what are tracheae lined with in insects and what is its purpose?

A

chitin which keep them open if they are being bent or pressed

58
Q

why does little gas exchange take place in the tracheae of insects?

A

chitin is relatively impermeable to gases

59
Q

what do tracheae branch into in insects?

A

tracheoles

60
Q

how are tracheoles in insects freely permeable to gas?

A

they do not have a chitin lining

61
Q

how does oxygen diffuse into surrounding cells in an insect?

A

oxygen dissolves in moisture on the walls of the tracheoles and diffuse into the surrounding cells

62
Q

where is tracheal fluid located in an insect?

A

towards the end of the tracheoles

63
Q

what does tracheal fluid do inside insects?

A

limits the penetration of air for diffusion

64
Q

what happens inside an insect when oxygen demands build up?

A

a lactic acid build up in the tissues result in water moving out the tracheoles by osmosis, which exposes more surface area for gaseous exchange

65
Q

what are some examples of alternative methods of gaseous exchange in larger insects?

A
  • mechanical ventilation of the tracheal system
  • collapsible enlarged tracheae or air sacs which act as air reservoirs
66
Q

how does mechanical ventilation work as gaseous exchange in larger insects?

A
  • air is actively pumped into the system by muscular pumping movements of the thorax and/or abdomen
  • these movements change the volume of the body which changes the pressure in the tracheae and tracheoles
  • air is drawn down into the tracheae and tracheoles, or forced out, as the pressure changes
67
Q

how do collapsible enlarged tracheae work as gaseous exchange in larger insects?

A
  • they used to increase the amount of air moved through the gas exchange system
  • they are usually inflated and deflated by the ventilating air movements of the thorax and abdomen
68
Q

water is _______ times denser than air, ______ times thicker and has a much ________ oxygen content?

A
  • 1000
  • 100
  • lower
69
Q

what does viscous mean?

A

thickness

70
Q

why have fish developed a different type of respiratory system?

A

it would use up far too much energy to move dense, viscous water in and out of their lung-like respiratory organs

71
Q

why is diffusion not enough to supply bony fishes inner cells with oxygen?

A
  • they are large animals so have a low SA:V ratio, which means diffusion would be slow
  • their scaly outer covering does not allow gaseous exchange
72
Q

what have bony fish evolved?

A

a ventilatory system adapted to take oxygen from the water and get rid of carbon dioxide into the water

73
Q

what are some factors of gills that make them good for gaseous exchange?

A
  • have a large surface area
  • good blood supply
  • thin layers
74
Q

what is the operculum?

A

a hard, plate-like, bony flap that covers the gills of a bony fish

75
Q

what are the two categories of fish?

A
  • bony fish
  • cartilaginous fish
76
Q

what are some adaptations of gills?

A
  • the tips of adjacent gill filaments overlap which increases the resistance to the flow of water over the gill surfaces and slows down the movement of water, which means there is more time for gaseous exchange to take place
  • the water moving over the gills and the blood in the gill filaments flow in different directions which ensures a steeper concentration gradient

Biology (10 decks)

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