Exchange & Transport In Animals Flashcards
What is diffusion?
The net movement of particles from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration, DOWN a concentration gradient, until an equilibrium is reached.
Describe the relationship between surface area and SA:V
As the surface area increases, the SA:V decreases
What challenges are encountered by large organisms in reference to gas exchange?
- Diffusion distance is too great
- Diffusion cannot occur fast enough in large enough quantities to meet metabolic demands
What are 4 features of an effective exchange surface?
- Thin layers
- Increased surface area
- Good blood supply
- Ventilation to maintain diffusion gradient
Why is an increased surface area a useful feature on an effective exchange surface?
-Increases the area in which diffusion can take place.
This can be seen in the alveoli in the lungs and the villi of the small intestines.
How can you increase the surface area?
Increase the number of surfaces, e.g. increasing the number of alveoli
Why are thin layers a useful feature on an effective exchange surface?
- Short diffusion distances, lessening the time taken for the substances to diffuse.
- This can be seen through the wall of the alveolus and the one cell thick wall of the capillary, and the thin villi of the small intestines.
Why is good blood supply a useful feature of an effective exchange surface?
The continuous supply of red blood cells maintains a steep concentration gradient, allowing diffusion to constantly take place.
- This is as a result of the substances bring constantly removed and delivered.
Why is ventilation a useful feature in a useful exchange surface?
Maintains diffusion gradient
What type of process is inhalation?
An energy-using ACTIVE process.
What is exhalation?
A passive process
Describe features in the nasal cavity of the human respiratory system
- Hairy lining which secretes mucus
- Large surface area with a good bloody supply
- Moist surfaces, increasing humidity of incoming air
What is the function of the hairy lining that secretes mucus in the nasal cavity?
Protecting delicate lung tissue from infection/irritation
What is the function of moist surfaces in the nasal cavity?
Increases humidity of incoming air, which reduces evaporation from the exchange surfaces
What is the function of the large surface area with a good blood supply in the nasal cavity?
To warm air to body temperature
Describe the structure of the trachea
- Wide tube supported by incomplete rings made of cartilage
- Lined with ciliated epithelium with goblet cells
Describe 2 properties of cartilage
- strong
- flexible
What is the purpose of having cartilage in the trachea?
- Stop the trachea from collapsing
- Rings incomplete so food can move easily down the oesophagus so behind the trachea
What lines the trachea?
- Ciliates epithelial cells
- Goblet cells
What do ciliated epithelial cells do?
-Cilia beat and move mucus away from lungs
smoking can cause cilia to stop beating
What do goblet cells do?
Secrete mucus onto the lining of trachea
Trap dust and microorganisms
Describe the structure of the bronchus
Similar structure as trachea, however smaller rings of cartilage.
Describe the parts of the human respiratory system.
Nasal cavity/Nose/Mouth Trachea Bronchus Bronchioles Alveoli
How large is the diameter of bronchioles?
<1mm
Describe the structure of bronchioles (3 points)
- Lined with a thin layer of flattened epithelium
- No cartilage rings
- Walls of bronchioles constrain smooth muscle
Describe the use of smooth muscle in the bronchioles
- Smooth muscle - contract = Bronchioles constrict (airways close up)
- Smooth muscle relax = Bronchioles dilate (airways opens up)
Describe the structure of alveoli
Tiny air sacs - main gas exchange surfaces of the body (unique to mammalian lungs):
- Thin flattened epithelial cells
- Collagen
- Elastic fibres (composed of elastin)
0. 2mm in diameter
What is the function of elastic fibres in alveoli? (2 points)
- Designed to stretch as air is drawn in and return to resting size (elastic recoil).
- Helps squeeze out air
What are the 4 main adaptions of the alveoli?
- Increased SA
- Thin walls
- Good blood supply
- Ventilation
What are the 4 stages of Inhalation/Exhalation?
- Anatomical change
- Volume change
- Pressure change
- Air movement
Describe the anatomical changes that occur during inhalation
- Diaphragm contracts -flattens/moves down
* External intercostal muscles contracts - rib cage moves up and out
Describe the volume change that occurs during inhalation
- Increases the volume of the thorax/thoracic cavity
Describe the pressure change that occurs during inhalation
- Decrease in pressure within the thorax below atmospheric pressure, creating a steep concentration gradient.
Describe the air movement that occurs during inhalation
- Air rushes in, down the pressure gradient
Describe the anatomical change that occurs during exhalation
- The diaphragm relaxes - moves up
* External intercostal muscles relax - rib cage moves down and in
Describe the volume change that occurs during exhalation
- Decrease in the volume of the thorax/thoracic cavity.
Describe the pressure change that occurs during exhalation
- Increase in pressure in the thorax
- No longer below atmospheric pressure
- This leads to very shallow concentration gradient
Describe the air movement that occurs during exhalation
- Air moves out, into the atmosphere through the mouth and nasal cavity
What is Spirometry?
A pulmonary function test (PFT)
What is Spirometry used to measure?
- Volume
- Speed (flow)
[during inhalation and exhalation]
What body parts are involved in gas exchange in insects?
- Body surface (exoskeleton)
- Spiracles
- Tracheae
- Tracheoles
- Tracheal fluid
What role body surface (exoskeleton) play in gas exchange in insects?
- Tough surface in which little/no gas exchange can occur.
- Doesn’t contain blood pigment which can carry oxygen, meaning there’s a need for another gas exchange system.
Where can spiracles be found?
On the thorax and abdomen of an insect
What is a spiracle?
A small opening in an insect’s thorax or abdomen
What is the function of a spiracle?
- Allow the movement of air to enter and leave the system
- Another method of water control
What is a tracheae?
Tubes running from the spiracles into and along the body of the insect. They are the largest tubes in the insect respiratory system
Why are controlled sphincters closed for as much as possible?
- To reduce water loss
What are inside the tracheae?
Rings of chitin
Chitonous rings
What are chitinous rings in the tracheae for?
- Chitin rings lines the tracheae to keep them open if they are pressed or bent.
- Relatively impermeable, meaning that little gas exchange takes place in the tracheae
What is the liquid in the tracheoles?
- There is tracheal fluid at the end of tracheoles.
- If there’s increased oxygen demands, lactic acid builds up in the tissues, causing water out of tracheoles by osmosis.
- This causes more exposure for gas exchange
What are adaptions in insects affecting gas exchange
- When spiracles are closed, oxygen and CO2 can diffuse into the body fluids of the insect where it is held in a process called buffering.
- When spiracles flutter, they move fresh air into the tracheae to renew supply of oxygen, WHILE minimising water loss.
- When CO2 levels build up really high in the body fluids of the insect, the spiracles open widely and CO2 diffuses out rapidly. There may also be pumping movements of the thorax and abdomen when the spiracles are open to maximise gas exchange.
What are the three stages in which water flows over the gills?
- Environment into buccal cavity
- Buccal cavity over the gills
- Gills to out the operculum
What takes place in the first stage of the water flowing of gills - environment into buccal cavity?
- Mouth opens and the floor of the buccal cavity is lowered.
- Increases the volume of water intake in the buccal cavity.
- This leads to the pressure in the cavity dropping below the water pressure outside the fish.
- This causes water to move into the buccal cavity.