Gas Exchange In Humans Flashcards
The role of the intercostal muscles
When you breathe in they move out and up to allow more space inside the lungs for air to come in
Role of the diaphram?
When you breathe in it is pulled down to pull air in and increase the volume of the lungs
How are alveoli adapted for their function?
Massive surface area more can be diffused at once
Moist lining for dissolving the gases
Very thin walls
Copious blood supply
Biological consequences of smoking?
Tar in the lungs: Stops the cilia working-more dirt stays in the lungs and bacteria gets trapped in the lungs causing Lung cancer Emphysema Pneumonia
Carbon monoxide
Creates carboxyhemoglobin
Oxygen deficiency in blood
Lung cancer?
Chemicals in the tar trapped in the lungs cause damage to the DNA of lung cells
Cells may grow and divide abnormally
In time that grown into cancer
Cancer blocks bronchioles and prevent air reaching the alveoli
Emphysema?
Tar trapped in lungs damages alveoli
The walls between them break down
The alveoli air spaces get bigger but there are less of them
Fewer alveoli means less surface area for gas exchange
Bronchitis?
Inflammation of the mucous membranes
Coronary heart disease?
Fatty deposits build up in the walls of the arteries that run to your heart
This causes them to shrink-reduces the supply of oxygen to your heart
May lead to a heart attack
Experiment to investigate the effect of exercise in breathing in humans
Measure breath rate in different exercise rates