6.1 Exchange between organisms and their environment
Exchange can occur
Activley
Active transport
Co-Transport
Passivley
Osmosis
Diffusion
Most cells too far from exchange
surface for diffusion alone to
supply / remove their tissue fluid
with the various materials needed
to keep its compisition relativley
constant
SA:Vol Ratio
Simple diffusion across outer surface
only works for small organisms
Larger organisms evolved
Flattened shape so no cell is far from surface
Flatworm
Leaf
Specialised exchange surface
with large area to increase
SA:Vol ratio
Lungs in mammal
Gills in fish
Specialised exchange surface features
Large SA:Vol ratio >increases
rate of exchange
Thin > short diff. distance >
materials can cross rapidly
Selectivley permeable > allows
selected material to cross
Movement of environmental
medium > maintain diff. grad
Transport system > ensure movement
of internal medium
Diffusion = (surface area x difference in conc.) / length of diff. path
6.2 Gas exchange in single-celled organisms and insects
Single-Celled
Large SA:Vol ratio
Diffusion of oxygen across body surface
Body surface covered by cell-surface membrane
CO2 diffuses out in same way
Insects
Increased SA needed for diffusion
increases waterloss
Internal network -> Tracheae
Supported by strengthened rings
Divide into smaller dead-end tubes -> tracheoles
Extend through body tissue of insect
Atmospheric air brought directly to tissues
Gases move in and out in different ways
Along a diffusion gradient
Conc. at end of tracheoles fall
Creates diff. grad. causing oxygen to diffuse
from atmosphere to cells (through tracheae
and tracheoles)
CO2 produced creates
conc. grad. in opposite
direction
CO2 diffuses from cells into
atmosphere along tracheoles and
tracheae
Diffusion in air more rapid than in water so quicker diffusion
Mass transport
Muscle contration squeezes tracheae enables
mass movement of air in and out
Speeds up exchange of repiratory gases
The ends of the tracheoles are filled with water
Spiracles
Open and close by valve
Stops water loss
Insects only small due to short diff. pathway
6.3 Gas exchange in fish
Gills
Behind head
Gill Filaments
Stack up at right angle to lamelle
Increase surface area
Water in through mouth
Forced over gills
Out opening
Coounter-current flow
Oxygen loaded blood meets water which has max conc. of oxygen
Diffusion of oxygen from water to blood
Blood with little oxygen meets water with little oxygen
Diffusion of oxygen from water to blood
6.4 Gas exchange in the leaf of a plant
Gases produced in photosynthesis can be used in respiration and vice versa
This reduces gas exchange
Volume of gases exchanged
depends on rates of
photosynthesis and respiration
Most Co2 used in photosynthesis comes from the
external air and most oxygen produce diffuses out of
the plant
When photosynthesis isn't occuring oxygen diffuses in and Co2 out
Structure of a plant leaf and gas exchange
No living cell far from external air
Source of oxygen and CO2
Diffusion takes place in air
More rapid than water
Air spaces in leaf have large
surface area compared to tissue
volume
Adaptions for rapid diffusion
Stomata
Underside of leaf
Guard cells up and close them to
prevent water loss
Short diffusion pathway as no cell is far from stoma
Interconnecting air spaces through mesophyll
gases regually come into contact with mesophyll cells
Large SA of mesophyll cells for rapid diffusion
6.5 Limiting Water loss
Insects
Small SA:Vol Ratio
Minimise area from where water is lost
Waterproof Covering
rigid outer-skeleton of chitin covered in waterproof cuticle
Spiracles
Can be closed to reduce waterloss
Plants
Thick, waxy cuticle
thicker cuticle = less water escapes
Rolling leaves
protects stomata and lower epidermis
traps a region of air within rolled leaf
Region becomes saturated by water vapour
no wp grad. inside and outside so no water loss
Hairy leaves
Traps still moist air next to leaf surface
Water potential grad. between inside and outside reduced
Less water lost by evaporation
Stomata in pits or grooves
trap still moist air
reduce wp grad.
Reduced SA:Vol ratio
Slower rate of diffusion
Must be balanced for
photosynthesis needs
xerophytes
Plants which have adapted to living
where there is little water supply,
without their adaptions they would
die
6.6 Structure of the human gas exchange system
aerobic organisms need oxygen to release ATP and CO2 must be
removed as build up is harmful
There is a large volume which must be removed and absorbed because...
large organisms have large volume of living cells
they maintain high body temp due to high
metabolic and respiratory rates
Due to this animals have specialised exchange surfaces called lungs for efficent exchange
Mammalian lungs
located inside body because...
air not dense enough to support and protect delicate structure
body as a whole would otherwise loose a lot of water
supported and protected by ribcage
ribs can be moved by muscles so lungs are
ventilated by tidal stream of air ensuring
air is constantly replenished
structure and functions of main parts
lungs
lobed structure made of series of tubules > bronchioles,
which end with air sacs > alveoli
trachea
flexible airway supported by rings of cartilage
cartilage prevents trachea collapsing when air pressure falls
walls made of muscle lined with epithelium and goblet cells
bronchi
two divisions of trachea leading to a lung
similar to trachea and produce
mucus to trap dirt and have cilia to
move such to throat
supported by cartilage
bronchioles
branching subdivisions of bronchi
walls = muscle lined with
epithelia cells
constrict to control flow of air in and out
alveoli
air sacs
collagen and elastic
fibres between them
fill with air when breathing
in and spring back when
breathing out to expel CO2
rich air
6.7 The mechanism of breathing
Inspiration
External intercostal muscles contract and internal relax
Ribs move up and out increasing thorax volume
Diaphragm muscles contract causing it to flattern increasing volume of thorax
Increased volume = reduction in pressure
Atmospheric pressure greater than pulmonary pressure