Gas exchange Flashcards
What are examples of exchange surfaces?
Respiratory gases
Heat
Nutrients like ions glucose and amino acids
Excretory products like urea
What happens to the surface area to volume ratio as an organism becomes larger
An organism increases as the surface area to volume ratio decreases
By what process does a single celled organism able to obtain everything it needs
Diffusion
What kind of SA:V ratio do smaller animals have and why may this be a problem
They have a large surface area to volume ratio so have a higher rate of heat loss at a faster rate
Why are single celled organisms able to use diffusion
It has a large surface area to volume so it has a faster rate of diffusion
What adaptations do small animals use for keeping warm
High rate of respiration (metabolic rate) to generate heat
Why do large animals have an advantage when they need to keep warm
They have a small surface area to volume ratio so wont lose as much heat at a slower rate
What are 2 features of a flatworms body which allows for gas exchange
Small organism so it has a large surface area to volume ratio for faster diffusion
It is think so allows for a short diffusion pathway
Explain why a logarithmic scale was used to plot body mass
To fit all the values on a graph axis
Explain why someone may measure oxygen uptake per gram of body mass
You need to transform the values in to something that allows for comparison between different body masses
What are the key points on surface area to volume ratio
The smaller the organism the larger the surface area to volume ratio so it loses heat more quickly and will have a higher metabolic rate to release more heat via aerobic respiration so the organism needs more oxygen and glucose so breathes faster and has a higher heart rate
What does Ficks law state
Diffusion rate is proportional to
surface area x difference in conc
divided by diffusion distance
What makes a good exchange surface
Large surface area
Large concentration gradient
Short diffusion distance
So how can you increase the rate of diffusion according to Ficks law?
By increasing the surface area
Increasing the concentration gradient
Decreasing the diffusion distance
How does oxygen get from the lung to the blood
Oxygen diffuses from the alveoli into the blood by diffusing across the alveolar epithelium
Then through the capillary endothelium
Then combines with haemoglobin in red blood cells
What does the respiratory system contain
Ring of cartilage
Trachea
Bronchus
Bronchiole
Alveoli
Intercostal muscles
Pleural membrane
Diaphragm
What is ventilation
A sequence of breathing movements that moves gases to and from the internal gas exchange surface
During ventilation air always flows from a higher pressure to lower pressure
What are the steps when we breathe in
When breathing in:
1) External intercostal muscles and diaphragm contract
2)The ribcage rises and the diaphragm flattens
3) Increase in thoracic cavity volume with a decrease in pressure (below atmospheric)
4)Air moves into the lungs down a pressure gradient
What are the steps when we breathe out
When breathing out:
1) The external intercostal muscles and diaphragm relax
2) The ribcage drops and the diaphragm rises
3) Decrease in thoracic cavity volume with an increase in pressure (above atmospheric)
4)Air moves out of the lungs down a pressure gradient
How do you carry out forced expiration
Relaxation of external intercostal muscles and diaphragm
Contraction of the internal intercostal muscles
The muscles are antagonistic (opposing)
What pathway does the oxygen take from the air to get into the bloodstream
From the mouth to the trachea to the bronchi to the bronchioles to the alveoli
What adaptations of the lungs allow it to have a shorter diffusion distance
Alveoli epithelium is thin or one cell thick
Capillary endothelium is one cell thick or close to the alveoli
Alveoli epithelium has thin squamous cells