Gas exchange in fish Flashcards
Where are the gills located?
Behind the head of the fish
What are gills made up of?
Gills are made up of gill filaments
How is water taken in?
Water is taken in through the mouth and forced over the gills through openings in the body
What are on the gill filaments?
Gill lamellae increase the surface area of the gill filaments
What is the movements of blood vs water?
Countercurrent flow
Why is countercurrent flow important?
To ensure the maximum possible gas exchange occurs
What is the countercurrent exchange principle?
Blood that is well loaded with oxygen meets water with its highest oxygen concentration, causing the oxygen to diffuse into blood
Blood with a lower oxygen concentration meets water which has had most of its oxygen removed, and so the oxygen diffuses from the water to the blood
