Gas Exchange Flashcards
What are the 6 features of a gas exchange system?
- Large SA:V ratio
- Thin/short diffusion path
- Permeable
- Moist
- Linked to a transport system
- Maintaining a diffusion gradient through a system to deliver and take away gases and also create currents along the surface
Why do insects have a high demand for oxygen?
Because they’re very active in flight/on land
What is an insect’s exoskeleton made out of?
A polysaccharide called chitin
Why is an exoskeleton needed by insects?
To reduce loss of gases and water
What are the tracheae?
A series of fine tubes that carry gases to and from active organs in the body of an insect
What role does chitin play in the tracheae?
Rings of chitin support the tubes and prevent them collapsing under high pressure but allow the tubes to be flexible
What are tracheoles?
Small tubes which branch off from the main trachea and lead directly into the tissues
How are the tracheoles and tracheae different?
The tracheoles aren’t supported by rings of chitin
What are spiracles?
Valves found in the thorax and abdomen of insects where gas exchange takes placet
How are the spiracles opened and closed?
Small sphincter muscles
Why are there small hairs in the spiracles?
To prevent entry of small particles which can block the spiracles
By what process does gas exchange occur in the trachea?
Diffusion
Explain how diffusion works in the tracheoles?
Oxygen diffuses into trachea through spiracles
Trachea transport it to tracheoles
Tracheoles penetrating the tissues are full of a watery fluid from the hypotonic cytoplasm of the cells
O2 diffuses out of the tracheoles bc the partial pressure in the tracheoles is higher
CO2 diffuses into tracheoles
How and why does an increased rate of metabolism affect osmotic potential?
It reduces the osmotic potential of the cells due to the increase of lactic acid.
How have insets evolved to increase oxygen supply for flight?
Ventilation mechanism - thorax and abdomen pump and move more air through the tubes through compressing and opening the tubes (increased by opening and closing certain spiracles)
Air sacs - contain reservoir of air to be pumped into trachaea when O2 demand is high
What are the problems of aquatic animals for gas exchange?
- 25x less O2 in water than air and that gets less as temp. increases
- Water is 800x denser than air to its harder to move
How do fishes reduce gas loss?
By having impermeable skin
What are features of the gills?
Large SA:V ratio to allow more diffusion
Permeable membranes
Thin
Good vascular supply
Explain the structure of a gill
A gill has two rows of gill filaments arranged in a v shape on a gill arch. Along the gill arch are gill lamellae/filaments which have small gill plates on them and capillaries
What is the operculum?
A flap covering the gills and the gill cavity
Explain how inspiration happens in a fish
Mouth opens and floor of the buccal cavity lowers. Water flows in and the buccal cavity floor lifts so the volume decreases and pressure increases.
Explain how expiration happens in a fish
Muscles in the operculum contract and bulge out so volume of operculum cavity increases so pressure decreases so water is drawn in and over the gills. Mouth closes and buccal cavity raises so water is forced over the gills. Pressure behind operculum increases until pressure inside > outside so water is forced out.