Gas exchange

    Cards (14)

    • respiration is the process of releasing energy from glucose
    • aerobic respiration is respiration with access to plenty of oxygen
    • aerobic respiration: C6H12O6 + 6O2 --> 6CO2 + 6H2O
    • anaerobic respiration doesn't use oxygen at all
    • anaerobic respiration: glucose --> lactic acid + energy
    • anaerobic respiration in plants: glucose --> ethanol + CO2 + energy
    • leaves are broad so there is a larger surface area for diffusion, also they are thin so there is a short diffusion pathway. leaves have airspaces which lets gases travel to cells easily. stomata are located on the bottom of the leave and allow oxygen and CO2 to enter and leave the leaf, also they allow for water to escape which is called transpiration
    • hydrogen carbonate indicator shows changes in CO2 concentration. Orange means there is a normal CO2 concentration, yellow means that CO2 concentration increases and purple means that CO2 concentration decreases
    • breathing in; intercostal muscles and diaphragm contract, thorax volume increases which decreases pressure drawing air into the lungs,
    • breathing out; intercostal muscles and diaphragm relax, thorax volume decreases and air is forced out
    • alveoli are specialised for gas exchange, they have cell wall which are one cell thick, a good blood supply to maintain a high concentration gradient and there are loads of them meaning there is a very large surface area
    • smoking damages the walls inside the alveoli, reducing the surface area for gas exchange which could lead to diseases like emphysema
    • the tar in cigarettes damages the cilia in the trachea, this means that it is much harder to remove bacteria and it could lead to chest infections
    • the carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke reduces the amount of oxygen the haemoglobin can carry. To make up for this, the heart rate increases and therefore the blood pressure which leads to damage in the artery walls increasing chances for blood clots. this increases the risks of heart attacks
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