Topic 2 Transport And Exchange Flashcards
What is gas exchange?
The process by which organisms exchange gases with their environment, involving diffusion.
Define diffusion.
The net movement of particles from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration.
What is the concentration gradient?
The path from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration.
Is diffusion an active or passive process?
Passive process — no energy is needed.
What two characteristics do most gas exchange surfaces have in common?
- Large surface area to volume ratio
- Thin surface (often one layer of epithelial cells)
What is Fick’s Law?
A law that relates the rate of diffusion to the concentration gradient, surface area, and thickness of the exchange surface.
According to Fick’s Law, what happens if the surface area doubles?
The rate of diffusion will double.
What happens to the rate of diffusion if the thickness of the surface halves?
The rate of diffusion will double.
What effect does temperature have on the rate of diffusion?
The rate of diffusion increases with temperature due to increased kinetic energy of molecules.
Describe how surface area to volume ratios affect gas exchange.
Larger objects have smaller surface area to volume ratios, resulting in slower rates of exchange.
What is the permeability constant for oxygen across the alveolar epithelium?
0.012 s⁻¹
What is the gas exchange surface in mammals?
The alveolar epithelium in the lungs.
How does oxygen move during gas exchange in the lungs?
Oxygen diffuses out of the alveoli, across the alveolar epithelium and into the blood.
What features of the mammalian lungs increase the rate of gas exchange?
- Lots of alveoli (large surface area)
- Alveolar epithelium and capillary endothelium are one cell thick
- Good blood supply from capillaries
True or False: Breathing in and out helps maintain concentration gradients in the alveoli.
True
Fill in the blank: The smaller the surface area to volume ratio, the _______ the rate of exchange.
slower
What are the main components of cell membranes?
Lipids, proteins, carbohydrates
Mainly phospholipids, which are a type of lipid with a phosphate group attached.
What does the fluid mosaic model describe?
The arrangement of molecules in the cell membrane
Proposed in 1972, it illustrates the dynamic nature of the membrane.
What is the structure of phospholipid molecules?
A hydrophilic head and two hydrophobic fatty acid tails
The head attracts water, while the tails repel water.
What is the arrangement of phospholipids in the cell membrane?
Phospholipids form a bilayer
The hydrophilic heads face outward, and the hydrophobic tails face inward.
What role does cholesterol play in the cell membrane?
It increases rigidity at higher temperatures and fluidity at lower temperatures
Cholesterol fits between phospholipids, influencing membrane properties.
What are glycoproteins?
Proteins with attached polysaccharide chains
They are involved in cell recognition and signaling.
What are glycolipids?
Lipids with attached polysaccharide chains
They also contribute to cell recognition and stability.
What is the permeability of the cell membrane?
Partially permeable
Small molecules can pass through, while larger molecules require specific proteins.