respiration pt1 Flashcards
(100 cards)
Why can unicellular and small multicellular organisms rely on diffusion for gas exchange?
they have high surface area to volume ratio
larger size limits surface area available for diffusion and increases the diffusion distance
what do larger organisms rely on for gas exchange (2)
bulk flow and diffusion
what does bulk flow refer to during gas exchange in larger organisms
ventilation (moving air/water over respiratory surface [gill/lung])
circulation (transport of gases in the circulatory system)
What is the Fick equation?
How is it used to understand gas diffusion rate?
Rate of diffusion = D * A * (dC/dx)
D= diffusion coefficient
A= area of the membrane
dC/dx= gradient
tells us how rate of diffusion changes if area of membrane or gradient is changed
what is convection, diffusion, and perfusion?
convection: bulk flow of air/water towards membrane (ventilate to achieve convection)
diffusion: molecules passing through the membrane
perfusion: blood transport the acquired materials away
modified Fick equation that tells us oxygen consumption or transfer rate
MO2= (K*A(PO2 a/w- PO2b))/ t
MO2 refers to oxygen consumption or transfer rate
K= Krogh’s diffusion constant (diffusion coefficient * solubility)
A= surface area of the barrier
PO2 a/w- PO2b= partial pressure gradient for oxygen between blood and air/water
t= thickness of the barrier
what characteristics of a barrier maximize the rate of gas diffusion?
large surface area, low thickness, larger partial pressure (by increase in ventilation)
What does Dalton’s Law of partial pressure state?
sum of all partial pressures is equal to the total pressure of the mixture
(in a gas mixture each gas exerts its own partial pressure-> exerts independently)
What is the driving force for gas diffusion
partial pressure
PO2 at sea level
PO2= 159mmHg
what must first happen to the gas molecules in the air in order to diffuse into a cell?
first dissolve in liquid
What does Henry’s law state?
the concentration of gas in a liquid is proportional to its partial pressure
[G]= Pgas * Sgas
Pgas= partial pressure of the gas
Sgas= solubility of the gas
Why is there a higher [O2] in air than water at the same PO2?
because solubility of O2 is higher in air
what happens to O2 solubility in warmer water?
solubility is lower
relationship between CO2 and O2 solubility in water
CO2 is 30 times more soluble than O2 in water
Boyle’s law + equation
P1V1= P2V2
for gases only bc liquids are virtually incompressible
rate of flow (Q) is determined by
Q= (delta)P/R
pressure difference inside and outside
R= resistance
why do cilia of pond snail embryos beat faster in hypoxic conditions?
to mix things up, increase circulation of new gases to surroundings, enhance O2 delivery to embryo
why do boundary layers exist?
what effects does the boundary layer have?
boundary layers exist at a cell surface due to resistance which reduces flow rate
lower flow rate-> medium poorly mixed at cell surface-> low PO2 diff. across membrane-> low diffusion
animals more than a few millimeters thick use one of which 3 respiratory strategies?
CIRCULATING THE EXTERNAL MEDIUM THROUGH BODY (sponges, insects)
DIFFUSION OF GASES ACROSS THE BODY SURFACE ACCOMPANIED BY CIRCULATORY TRANSPORT (cutaneous respiration, skin must be thin and moist, most aquatic invertebrates, some amphibians, eggs of birds)
DIFFUSION OF GASES ACROSS A SPECIALIZED RESPIRATORY SURFACE ACCOMPANIED BY CIRCULATORY TRANSPORT (gills+lungs-> thin+ moist, vertebrates)
3 types of ventilation
NONDIRECTIONAL (medium flows over surface in unpredictable pattern, maybe some small animal stuck on rock in tidal zone)
TIDAL (medium moves in and out of chamber)
UNIDIRECTIONAL (fish)
from where do gases enter the blood
at the respiratory surface
how can relative movement of blood and respiratory medium at respiratory surface affect efficiency of gas exchange?
contact time
thickness of membranes
directions of flow
what does little PO2 difference between (exhalant) medium and blood at respiratory surface (just before blood leaves respiratory surface) indicate?
little effect of the thickness of respiratory epithelium and/or boundary layer-> gas exchange very efficient