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Breathing and Gas Exchange: Respiration

This document discusses respiration and gas exchange. It describes the process of breathing, including how air travels through the trachea and bronchi into the lungs' alveoli where gas exchange occurs. Oxygen diffuses into the blood in the alveoli while carbon dioxide diffuses out. Experiments show breathing rate increases with exercise to supply more oxygen to working muscles. Smoking damages lungs by destroying cilia and reducing gas exchange surface area, increasing risks of diseases like emphysema, bronchitis and lung cancer.

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Abubakar Siddiq Ramin
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45 views4 pages

Breathing and Gas Exchange: Respiration

This document discusses respiration and gas exchange. It describes the process of breathing, including how air travels through the trachea and bronchi into the lungs' alveoli where gas exchange occurs. Oxygen diffuses into the blood in the alveoli while carbon dioxide diffuses out. Experiments show breathing rate increases with exercise to supply more oxygen to working muscles. Smoking damages lungs by destroying cilia and reducing gas exchange surface area, increasing risks of diseases like emphysema, bronchitis and lung cancer.

Uploaded by

Abubakar Siddiq Ramin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Chapter 3: Breathing and Gas Exchange

Respiration - It is a process through which energy is released from food by oxidation. To respire
aerobically cells need a continuous supply of oxygen.

Structure of Gas Exchange System and their functions:

S/ Chest Parts Functions


N
01 Thorax Our lungs are placed in it.
02 Intercostal muscles Join the ribs.
03 Diaphragm Helps the movements of air in and out of the lungs and separates the
content of the thorax from the abdomen.
04 Pleural membrane Separates the lungs and act as envelopes around the lungs.
05 Pleural fluid Acts as lubrication, so lungs don’t stick to the chest wall.
06 Pleural Cavity A gap that contains the pleural fluid.
07 Cartilage These support the trachea so that it does not collapse during
inhalation.

When we breathe in, air travels down the


trachea(windpipe) which then splits into two
tubes called bronchi(singular bronchus), one
leading to each lung. They gradually split into
smaller and smaller tubes like bronchioles,
eventually ending at microscopic air sacs,
called alveoli. Branches of bronchioles are
called bronchiole tree.

The wall of trachea and bronchi contain rings


of gristle or cartilage. Bronchi have O shaped
rings and trachea C shaped. The gaps in the C
shaped rings of trachea allow the lumps of
food to pass through the oesophagus more easily.

Keeping airways clean–Trachea and other airways are lined with tiny hairs called cilia, they
move backward and forward to sweep mucus, a sticky liquid that traps particles and germs from
air and moves them down the throat, so they can be coughed or swallowed, thus preventing dirt
and bacteria from entering the lungs.
Ventilation –It is a process through which air moves in and out of the lungs. This requires a
difference in air pressure i.e. air moves from high pressure to low.

Breathing in (Inhalation)–It is the


process of taking air into the lungs.
During inhalation, external intercostal
muscles contract pulling rib cage
upwards. Diaphragm muscles contract
and pull the diaphragm down into a
more flattened shape. Hence volume
of the chest increases causing a slight
drop in air pressure inside the thorax
and the air enters the lungs.

Breathing out (Exhalation) – It is the process of expelling air out of the lungs. During
exhalation external intercostal muscles, ribs and diaphragm relax. The diaphragm recoils into its
normal dome shape. But internal intercostal muscles contract pulling rib cage downwards. Hence
volume of the chest decreases and air pressure increases inside so air exits.
Alveolar gas exchange
Alveoli (singular alveolus) are tiny round microscopic air Gas Inhale Exhale
sacs covered with blood capillaries. It brings air and blood d d
very close together, over a very large surface area. Gas Nitrogen 78 79
exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place in the Oxygen 21 16
alveoli. Carbon dioxide 0.04 4
Other (argon) 0.96 0.96

Oxygen from the inhaled air in alveoli diffuses across the two cell thick wall of the alveoli and
adjacent capillaries into the red blood cells. The blood then carries the oxygen to the body
tissues. Blood then returns to the lungs, where carbon dioxide leaves the blood and diffuses into
the alveoli and removed from the body while exhalation.

Gas exchange in alveoli –

a. Walls are extremely thin. It allows easy diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide in and out of
the blood.
b. They have a large surface area in relation to volume. It allows for efficient exchange of gases.
c. Numerous capillaries surround them for greater diffusion.
Investigating release of carbon dioxide during exercise:

METHOD:

 Measure a fixed volume of Limewater into a boiling tube


 Use a straw and blow into the solution of Limewater

RESULT:
 Limewater turns cloudy when Carbon Dioxide is present
 Hence, as respiration produces Carbon Dioxide as a waste product

Investigating effect of exercise on breathing:

METHOD:

 Stationary breathing rates of participants are recorded


 Specific exercise will be performed by participants at the same intensity for a fixed
period of time
 Breathing rates after exercise are recorded
 Results are compared
RESULT:
 During exercise, more energy is needed via respiration to allow muscle contractions to
occur to facilitate movement
 Hence, the rate of breathing will increase to allow more oxygen transport in blood to
respiring cells for movement to occur
 If energy demand exceeds oxygen intake then anaerobic respiration produces lactic acid
and so doing exercise for a long time is not possible as it creates oxygen debt and muscle cramp
Effects of Smoking

Bronchitis is a lung disease that causes inflammation of bronchial tubes in the linings of the
lungs. It is caused by cigarette smoke that destroys the cilia. The reduced number of cilia does
not help mucus to swept away dirt particles from the lungs; but clog the air passage. The
clogging of mucus makes the person to cough. It blocks the normal air flow, so the person
suffers from breathing difficulty.

Emphysema is a lung disease in which the lining of the alveoli break down and then fuse
together, reducing the surface area for gas exchange. It is an irreversible disease caused by
chemicals in tobacco smoke. Here, the patient has less oxygen supply in his blood. In serious
cases, the sufferer can hardly walk. There is no cure for this disease and the person dies after a
long suffering.

Lung cancer is the worst result of smoking. Tobacco smoke contains nicotine, an addictive
drug, for which the smokers cannot leave cigarette. Smokers who are trying to give up can use
nicotine patches or gum to provide them the nicotine they normally get from cigarettes,
reducing the craving to smoke.

Tobacco smoke also contains 7000 harmful chemicals and more than 60 of these are called
carcinogens that cause cancer. Carcinogens remain in the tar that collects in their lungs. When
the cells start to mutate and divide uncontrollably, a tumour is formed. This tumour develops and
spreads to other parts which become a cancer. Unfortunately, the tumour causes no pain and thus
the lungs show no symptoms until it is too late.

Carbon monoxide stops blood from carrying oxygen around the body, as it combines with
haemoglobin and forms a compound called carboxyhaemoglobin. If a pregnant woman smokes,
she is depriving her baby from sufficient oxygen. As a result, the baby has growth and
development problems.

Some of the long-term effects of smoking include:

 increased risk of stroke and brain damage


 eye cataracts
 loss of sense of smell and taste
 yellow teeth, tooth decay and bad breath
 cancer of the nose, lip, tongue and mouth
 coughing
 heart disease

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