Gas Exchange Papers

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Gas Exchange is a process in which an organism takes in oxygen and releases carbon dioxide through diffusion across a gas exchange surface. Oxygen is a vital part of respiration and so therefore oxygen must be transported to every cell within the organism. As a result of respiration respiratory gases are produced these gasses are oxygen and carbon dioxide. Oxygen is inhaled and the waste product of carbon dioxide must be excreted from the body. Oxygen diffuses from them air or from the water entering the blood stream to then being transported to the organisms cells or as an alternative oxygen will diffuse from these environments the air and water straight to the organisms cells without the transportation from the blood, where as carbon dioxide …show more content…
Three major factors affecting the efficiency of the gas exchange include moisture, surface area to volume ratio and how thin the surface area is. Moisture contributes to the efficiency of gas exchange as before diffusion can take place through the cell membrane the gas exchange surface must be moist as gasses have to dissolve in water. The more moisture in the gas exchange surface the more efficient the gas exchange. The more particles that diffuse at once the more efficient the gas exchange process due to having a large surface area to volume ratio. So therefore the larger the surface area to volume ratio the more affective the gas exchange in the organism. In order to reduce the distance in which gasses have to diffuse the thinner the gas exchange surface has to be thus making the gas exchange more efficient. All living organisms carry out gas exchange in order to get the oxygen they need to produce energy for survival through reparation, in this report I will be outlining gas exchange in three taxonomic groups these groups include mammals, insects and …show more content…
The lungs are two sac like organs fond in most air-breathing organisms that connect to the outside environment (air) by airway systems trachea, bronchi, and bronchioles ending in a thin-walled surface called alveoli where gas exchange in mammals takes place. These airways are lined with cilia and mucus secreting epithelium which assist with removing pathogens and dust before they can reach the gas exchange surface, preventing disease and infection in the mammal. Each lung has multiple lobes which all have their own bronchus, the bronchi divide many times finishing with the respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts and countless alveoli. The alveoli provide a large surface area which as I said earlier makes gas exchange more efficient, by diffusion between the air found in the lungs and blood in the capillaries. During gas exchange in mammals a step by step process takes place. Air enters the mammal via the nostrils where it is warmed by nasal passages, the nostrils are lined with a series of hairs to filter particles out of the mammals system. Air that enters the mammals system through the mouth enters the pharynx and combines with the air from the nasal passages. The air is then transferred by the trachea to the lungs where it is strengthened by band of cartilage, cartilage resemble a stack or rings. The trachea divides into two