Respiratory Physiology

Question 1

What is the role of the respiratory system?

Answer 1

It facilitates the transport + exchange of CO2 + O2 to and from exchange areas

Question 2

What is respiration?

Answer 2

The process by which mitochondria consume O2 + produce CO2

Question 3

What are the two types of respiration animals engage in?

Answer 3

1. external: involves gas exchange
   - movement of O2 from environment into mitochondria + movement of CO2 in opposite direction
2. internal: involves metabolic process of cellular respiration within cells
   - takes sugars (glucose) through hydrolysis + oxygen reactions to produce ATP

Question 4

How does external respiration differ in small animals vs bigger animals?

Answer 4

Small animals:
- simple diffusion across body surface
Bigger animals:
- need specialized gas exchange surfaces to meet metabolic demands due to surface area to volume ratio challenge
- often use bulk flow (ventilation)

Question 5

What are the steps of external respiration?

Answer 5

1. ventilation of respiratory surface
- water/air passing through whatever environment the animal is in
2. diffusion across this surface
- ideally across thin cross-sectional area
3. gas transport in circulatory system
- to distribute + allow diffusion at tissues (drop off O2 + pick up CO2 waste
4. diffusion into tissues