Lesson 5: Respiration Flashcards
what gases are in the mixture of air we breathe in?
- nitrogen (78%)
- oxygen (21%)
- argon (1%)
- carbon dioxide (0.04%)
and trace amounts of other gases
what is oxygen a key reactant in?
aerobic cellular respiration
how do we maintain our internal body temperature?
energy is released as thermal energy during cellular respiration
what is aerobic cellular respiration
process we use to obtain energy from food
how much energy is released during cellular respiration as thermal energy? what is the energy left used as (and how much is used)?
64% of energy released during cellular respiration is released as thermal energy; the other 36% of the energy is STORED AS ATP (adenosine triphosphate)
what is ATP used by, and what is it used for?
used by cells to power almost all of their processes
how is ATP formed?
when energy from the breakdown of glucose is used to attach a phosphate group onto a molecule called adenosine diphosphate (ADP).
- ADP + P –> ADP PHOSPHORYLATION + ENERGY = ATP
what is the process that forms ATP from ADP called?
phosphorylation
what is ATP?
the molecule where energy is STORED and used for the cell
Where is the energy stored in ATP?
stored in the extra phosphate bond that you see in ATP
what happens when the phosphate bond is broken + when is this bond broken?
the bond is broken when energy is needed by the cells; when the extra phosphate bond is broken, we are left with ADP plus a phosphate
what is ATP used for?
to power almost all of cells energy-requiring processes, such as growth, movement, and building new molecules
how is ATP recycled?
ADP and phosphate are continuously recycled and recharged with energy to form ATP molecules
what is gas exchange
the process by which oxygen diffuses into the body cells and carbon dioxide diffuses out of the cells
what is gas exchange like in simple organisms? what are examples of simple organisms
this can occur directly through cell membranes to/from surrounding environment; simple organisms like sponges and jellyfish
- oxygen diffuses directly from the surrounding environment through the cell membrane, and into the cells. Carbon dioxide diffuses directly from the cells of the organisms through the cell membrane into the environment
generally, how do we get oxygen required for aerobic cellular respiration
gas exchange! this process is where oxygen diffuses into and carbon dioxide diffuses out of our cells
how does the process of gas exchange and ventilation differ from simple organisms and from complex organisms like humans? what do complex organisms need instead in order to complete gas exchange?
simple organisms like sponges and jellyfishes are able to have oxygen directly diffuse in and out of their cell membranes (with contact to their surrounding environments); however, complex organisms like humans have so many cells in their body that do not come into contact with the environment (thus they cannot depend on simple diffusion) INSTEAD, they required a specialized organ system that accomplishes this same task
what are the structural features that the human respiratory system needs which allows it to function well?
- a thin permeable respiratory membrane across which diffusion can occur
- a large surface area to facilitate gas exchange
- a good supply of blood
- a breathing system for bringing oxygen rich-air into the system
why is it important to have a thin membrane as a structural feature of our respiratory system?
if we don’t have this thin membrane (thin enough to accept diffusion in and out), we won’t get oxygen in our bloodstream and the co2 out
what is the autonomic nervous system and what does it do?
it is our brain’s unconcious control center for the vital functions
what is the general process of the respiratory system when we breathe air in and out?
- the diaphragm flattens and the muscles between the ribs contract, which creates more space for the lungs to expand
- air then goes into the nose and mouth, through the trachea, and into the bronchi that split at the trachea’s base.
- the air we breathe in goes through the bronchioles and into the alveolus, which causes the lungs to inflate
- the vital exchange of gas occurs in the alveoli: the capillaries are packed with carbon dioxide, and the air sacks are full of oxygen.
- due to basic diffusion, the oxygen crosses over to the capillaries (hemoglobin grabs it up), while the carbon dioxide is unloaded into the lungs.
- the oxygen-rich hemoglobin is then transported throughout the body by the bloodstream
- now, our lungs have lots of carbon dioxide: we get rid of the co2 by exhaling it- the diaphragm balls up, and the intercostal muscles relax, which makes the chest cavities smaller and forces the lungs to compress
- the co2 rich air is then expelled out of the body, and the process repeats again
breakdown: what is the process of inhalation?
- air enters through the nose and the mouth
- the air is then warmed and moistened in the nasal passage before it enters the lungs
what is the nasal passage lined with in order to prevent airborne particles from coming in?
the nasal passage is lined with hairs and mucus to filter out and trap any airbone particles (dust, bacteria, viruses, etc)
breakdown: what is the process of inhalation in the upper tract?
- air travels into the pharynx (throat); it then reaches the glottis (opening to trachea)
- the trachea has c-shaped rings of cartilage around it to keep it rigid and open (prevents the trachea from being crushed or closed as we need air to get through it)
