Gas Exchange in Animals Flashcards
Barometric pressure
Atmospheric pressure at sea level is 760 mm Hg.
Partial pressure
Partial pressure is the concentration of a particular gas in a mixture.
What is the partial pressure of O2
Partial pressure of O2 (PO2) is 160 mm Hg (21% of barometric pressure).
How does gas exchange relate to animal size?
The need to exchange respiratory gases limits the size and shape of many animals
What are some evolutionary adaptations for distributing gases?
Adaptations in species without internal system for distributing gases: small size, thin flat body; thin body wall around central body cavity
Fick’s law of diffusion
Fick’s law of diffusion applies to all gas exchange systems
Q = DA [(P1-P2)/L]
Q in Fick’s law
Q—the rate of diffusion.
D in Fick’s law
D—the diffusion coefficient: a characteristic of the diffusing substance, the medium, and the temperature. Expressed as mole/m2.s
A in Fick’s law
A—the area where diffusion occurs.
P1 and P2 in Fick’s law
P1 and P2—partial pressures of the gas at two locations.
L in Fick’s law
L—the diffusion path length between the locations.
(P1 – P2)/L in Fick’s law
(P1 – P2)/L is a partial pressure gradient (diffusion gradient).
What determines the concentration of gas in a liquid?
The concentration of gas in a liquid depends on the partial pressure of the gas in the air above the liquid and also on the solubility of gas in that liquid.
How does turbulence affect rate of diffusion?
Turbulence increases rate of diffusion until saturation is reached
why do we need oxygen?
to accept electrons that are created due to break down of food, which eventually forms water from H+ diffusing into mitochondrial matrix
Solubility of gases and temperature
The solubility of gases declines with temperature.
Metabolic cost of ventilation
it takes more energy to move water over gas exchange surface, compared to moving air over it.
Challenges of Water-Breathing for an Ectotherm
- In water, partial pressure of O2 is ~20 times lower than it is in air.
- Diffusion is slower in water than in air.
- The solubility of gases declines with temperature.
- Oxygen needs increase with temperature for an ecotherm.
- It takes more energy to ventilate
gas exchange surface with water than with air.
Why do animals require a specialized body surface for respiratory gas exchange and a system to transport O2 and CO2?
because the two processes require differently characterized cells; gas exchange requires a large surface area, whereas O2 and CO2 transport require large volume
Ventilation
the act of moving the gas exchange medium through gas exchange surfaces.
Is there more or less oxygen in cold water?
In cold water, there is more oxygen.
A denser fluid has a ___ metabolic cost to move.
A denser fluid has a greater metabolic cost to move.
Percentage of O2 in lakes
Lakes 1-2.5% O2
Percentage of O2 in sea water
Water .5-1% O2
What happens to oxygen availability as elevation increases?
Increase in altitude reduces available oxygen for air breathers due to lower partial pressure of oxygen at high altitudes
Does the overall percentage of oxygen in air change as altitude changes?
Partial pressure of oxygen declines with altitude, but the overall percentage of oxygen does not change
Overall atmospheric pressure ____ with altitude
The overall atmospheric pressure declines with altitude, as well as the pressure of all gases
Air at sea level: ___% O2
Air at sea level: 21% O2
Freshwater has ____ dissolved oxygen than saltwater does
Freshwater has more dissolved oxygen than saltwater does
CO2 is relatively ____ exchanged
CO2 is relatively easily exchanged
How does altitude affect the cocentration of CO2?
The concentration gradient of CO2 from air-breathers to the environment is always large; change with altitude is negligible