RESPIRATORY

SYSTEM/respiration
This is a system that involves all the tissues
and organs of respiration which is a
biochemical activity of the cell in which
glucose is broken down by a series of chemical
reactions controlled by enzymes to release
energy.
 Respiration
• This is a biochemical activities of the cell in
which glucose is broken down by a series of
chemical reactions controlled by enzymes to
release energy.
 Phases or Stages of Respiration
• Respiration has two stages namely : External
and Internal respiration.
 External Respiration (breathing)
• This is the exchange of gasses between the
environment and the respiratory organ (lungs) of an
organisms.
• External respiration involves two stages
– (1) inspiration or inhalation: this involved the
breathing in of air/ oxygen into the lung.
– (2) expiration or exhalation: this involved the
breathing out of carbon dioxide and water
vapour into the atmosphere or environment.
Internal/tissue/cellular respiration
• This is the oxidation of organic food
substances within a cell leading to the release
of energy, carbon dioxide and water.
• Chemical equation of respiration:
C6H12O6 + 6O2 – 6H2O + 6CO2 + energy.
(glucose)+(oxygen)-(water)+(carbondoixide)
 CONDITIONS NECESSARY FOR
RESPIRATION
• Respiratory medium: air and water
• Respiratory organ : lung, gill, trachea etc
• Transport medium : blood
• Ventilation : movement of air
• Respiratory surface : it is the internal surface
of the respiratory organ
Characteristics of a respiratory surface
• It must be moist for easy diffusion
• It must be permeable also for easy diffusion
• It must be thin wall to shorten diffusion
distance.
• It must have adequate supply of transport
medium (blood/blood vessels).
• It must have a large surface area.
• It must be highly vascularized.
Different organisms and their respiratory organs
Organism Respiratory system/organs
1 Unicellular organisms. Eg amoeba, Body surface
paramecium
2 Hydra, tapeworm Cell membrane
3 Earthworm Wet skin or body surface
4 Fishes Gills
5 Insects Trachea / spiracle
6 Arachnida . Eg spider Lung book
7 Tadpole Gill
8 Reptiles. Eg lizard Lungs
9 Amphibians. Eg, toad/frog Mouth, skin and lungs
10 Aves. Eg, birds Lung
11 Mammals Lungs
12 Flowering plants Stomata and lenticels
 Mechanisms of respiration in insect, toad and fish

Insect:
Insect uses its spiracle which is a tiny
opening on their abdomen through
which O2 diffuses in and diffuses out
CO2.
The spiracle leads to the trachea which
divides into smaller tube called
tracheoles.
Breathing in insects has to do with the
compression and relaxation of the
abdomen dorsal-ventrally
Mechanisms of respiration in toad
• The young toad called tadpole use gills for
gaseous exchange.
• It use external gills at tadpole stage and when
developing into the next stage the external gills
disappear and an internal gills are formed with
and operculum covering it.
• At adult stage the internal gills disappears and
lungs are formed. The toad/frog uses different
respiratory structures such as the Mouth, skin
and lungs
 Mechanism of respiration in fish
• Fish’s use gills for gaseous exchange which are
located on the head region cover in operculum.
• There are three or four gills in the gill chambers.
• Each gill consists of a :
– Gill Filament : where gaseous exchange take
place.
– Gill raker : stops food particles from entering the
gill chamber
– Gill arch : build up the gill filament
 Process of breathing in fish’s
• Fish close its operculum and open its mouth,
allowing water to enter/pass into the mouth.
• The fish then closes its mouth and water flow
to the gill chambers and move across the gill
filaments.
• Oxygen diffuses into filaments to the blood
stream while carbon dioxide diffuses into the
filaments and out into the water through the
gill cavities to the surrounding water.
 Respiration in mammals
• Description:
• The lung is a reddish, elastic organ found on
each side of the mammalian heart. It is a two
lobe structure located at the chest region.
STRUCTURE OF THE LUNG
 Respiratory system in man
• Nostril is a passage that leads into the mouth cavity
(pharynx) and to the voice box (larynx).
• The larynx lead into a wind pipe called trachea. A
flat piece of tissue (epiglottis) cover the entrance of
larynx to prevent the entrance of food particles to
the larynx/trachea.
• The trachea is a ring of long tube made up of
cartilage (windpipe) that leads down and branches
into two pipes/tubes called bronchi.
• Bronchi (bronchus) lead into the lungs and
branches into many smaller tubes called
bronchioles
• The bronchioles leads to many/numerous air
sacs called alveoli (alveolus)
• The alveoli (alveolus) are richly supplied with
blood capillaries and are sites or surfaces
where gaseous exchange takes place
Structure of the alveolus
Process of inspiration or inhalation in man
• Air from outside surrounding is drawn into the
lungs or alveoli through the nose, trachea,
bronchus and bronchioles leading to an increase in
the size of the lungs causing the :
• Thoracic cavity first increase in volume.
• Diaphragm contracts and becomes flattened.
• Intercostal muscles contract and expand
• The sternum is moved forward and outward.
• Ribs are moved upward and outward
Process of expiration or exhalation in man
• Air containing waste products like carbondioxide
and water vapour from inside the alveoli or lungs
are forced out through the bronchioles, bronchus,
trachea and nose to the outside environment
causing a decrease in the size of the lungs by:
• Thoracic cavity first decrease in volume.
• Diaphragm relaxes and assumed its dome-shape.
• Intercostal muscles relaxes and thicken
• The sternum is moved backwards and inwards.
• Ribs are moved backwards and inwards
• Residual air: This is the air left in the lungs after
exhalation.
• Tidal air: It is the air that is exchange with each
breath.

• Oxygen debt a temporary oxygen shortage in

;

the body tissues arising from exercise

 Respiratory system in plants
• Plants use stomata and lenticels for gaseous
exchange.
 STOMATA:

• Description:
• They are thin openings found on the epidermis of
leaves.
• Each stoma is surrounded by two beans shaped
cells called Guard cells.
• The opening and closing of the stomata is
controlled by guard cells
Structure of the stomata/guard cells
 LENTICELS
• Description:
• They are tiny opening found on the bark of
stems. Lenticels consist of a loose mass of
small thin-walled cells which permit easy
diffusion of gases in and out of the plant.
Structure of the lenticel
 Differences Between Respiration and Photosynthesis
Respiration Photosynthesis

1 It occur in all living cell It occurs only in autotrophs

2 It take place at all time It take place only in the presence of

sunlight
3 Food substances are broken down Food substance are build up (anabolism)
(catabolism)
4 High energy containing food are used .eg Low energy substances are used. Eg,
carbohydrate and oxygen carbon dioxide and water
5 Carbon dioxide and water vapour a by- Oxygen is the by-product
products.
6 It releases energy It makes use of CO2

7 It result in decrease in weight. It result in increase of weight.