Gas Exchange, Cell Membranes & Transport Flashcards
ficks law of diffusion
SA x Conc gradient / thickness of membrane
role of lungs
maximise gas exchange while minimising the loss of water across the exchange surface
what is trachea
tube that allows air to travel to the lungs
c-shaped rings of cartilage that ensure that the tube remains open
There is a layer of mucus covering the lining of the trachea that helps to trap dust and pathogens
Tiny hairs called cilia are also found on the lining of the airways, where they waft mucus towards the top of the trachea, removing any trapped particles and pathogens from the airways
what is bronchi
Bronchi (singular bronchus) have a similar structure to the trachea but they have thinner walls and a smaller diameter
bronchioles role
The larger bronchioles possess elastic fibres and smooth muscle that enable adjustment of the size of the airway to increase or decrease airflow
How are lungs adapted to gas exchange
They have a large surface area due to the presence of many alveoli which increase the surface area
- Good supply of circulating blood to the lungs which carries carbon dioxide to the lungs and oxygen away from them ensures that the concentration gradient is steep - high concentration of oxygen and low concentration of carbon dioxide is maintained by mechanical ventilation
- They have a short diffusion distance as the alveoli are just one cell thick thus reducing the diffusion distance
what do phospholipids consist of
A phosphate group
A molecule of glycerol
Two fatty acid tails, making up the lipid tail
what part of phospholipid is polar and non polar
The phosphate head of a phospholipid is polar, meaning that it can interact with polar water molecules; the head is therefore described as being hydrophilic
The lipid tail is non-polar, meaning that it cannot interact with polar molecules; the tail is therefore described as hydrophobic
what happens if phospholipids are spread over surface of water
form a single layer with the hydrophilic phosphate heads in the water and the hydrophobic fatty acid tails sticking up away from the water. This is called a phospholipid monolayer or phospholipid bilayer.
where is cholesterol found
between the phospholipids, where it regulates membrane fluidity. Cholesterol increases the fluidity of the membrane at low temperatures, stopping it from becoming too rigid. stops the phospholipid tails packing too closely together
what does interaction between cholesterol and phospholipid tails allow
stabilises the cell membrane at higher temperatures by stopping the membrane from becoming too fluid
what does cholesterol increase in membranes
Cholesterol increases the mechanical strength and stability of membranes
where are glycoproteins and glycolipids found
are present on the surface of the cell, where they aid cell-to-cell communication
some act like cell markers or antigens
can mosaic of phospholipids and proteins move
they can move around within bilayer by diffusion
what does it mean if the membrane is partially permeable
Small, non-polar molecules can pass through the gaps between the phospholipids
Large, polar molecules must pass through specialised membrane proteins called channel proteins and carrier proteins
break down fluid mosaic model
The mosaic of phospholipids and proteins can move around within the bilayer by diffusion, hence the mosaic is said to be ‘fluid’
scattered pattern produced by the components within the phospholipid bilayer looks somewhat like a mosaic
Note that the fluid mosaic model is one model of membrane structure; other models have been considered and rejected
what is the permeability of cell membrane affected by
Temperature
pH
how can the factors temperature and PH on the permeability of cell membranes be investigated
Beetroot cells contain a dark purple-red pigment
The higher the permeability of the beetroot cell membrane, the more of this pigment leaks out of the cell