The Heart and Diffusion Flashcards
What is plasma in the blood?
Clear, yellowy liquid which transports blood cells, proteins and dissolved substances around the body.
What is the pigment found in red blood cells used to bind to oxygen?
Haemoglobin.
What is the function of red blood cells?
To transport oxygen around the body.
What is the blood vessel type which is used to transport blood from the heart to other sides of the body?
Artery.
What are the lower chambers of the heart called?
Ventricles.
How does a blood cell’s biconcave structure help it with it’s function?
Increases the SA:V ratio to make diffusion more efficient.
What is the blood vessel type which links arteries and veins?
Capillary.
In a respiration experiment, why does carbon dioxide not collect in the test tube?
It is absorbed by the soda lime.
What are the upper chambers of the heart?
Atria.
State 4 adaptations of an Erythrocyte.
-Biconcave structure to increase SA:V ratio for better diffusion rates
-Contains haemoglobin to allow oxygen to bind to the cell
-No nucleus to carry more oxygen.
-Small and Flexible to fit into narrow blood vessels.
Why is the muscle wall of the left ventricle thicker than that of the right ventricle?
Because the left ventricle requires more strength to pump blood from the heart around the body, unlike the right ventricle, which only needs to pump blood to the lungs from the heart.
Why does the heart have valves?
To prevent backflow of blood and to ensure it flows in the correct direction.
How does deoxygenated blood enter the heart?
Through the vena cava into the right atrium.
How does oxygenated blood enter the heart?
Through the pulmonary vein into the left atrium.
Which sides of the heart deal with which types of blood?
The left side deals with oxygenated blood, the right deals with oxygenated blood.
Why do the atria and ventricles contract at different times?
To ensure the ventricles are filled with blood before they pump it out the heart.
What is the blood vessel which delivers oxygenated blood to the rest of the body from the heart?
Aorta
State 3 adaptations of the artery.
-Thick, elastic muscular wall to withstand high pressure.
-High blood pressure to deliver oxygenated blood faster.
-Ability to regulate blood flow by constricting and dilating muscle walls.
State 3 adaptations of the vein.
-Large lumen to deliver more deoxygenated blood at a time.
-Valves to prevent backflow.
-Flexible muscle walls to fit varying volumes of blood at once.
State 3 adaptations of the capillary.
-Permeable walls to allow diffusion in and out.
-1 cell wide lumen to ensure all red blood cells diffuse substances through.
-1 cell thick walls to allow for faster diffusion.
What is the formula for diffusion rate?
(surface area x difference in concentration gradient) / thickness of surface
