Term Definition

Ventilation Moving air into and out of lungs, involves respiratory muscle activity and is an
active process involving mass flow

Gas exchange Movement of carbon dioxide and oxygen by diffusion between alveoli and blood
and between blood and cells, takes place across a surface

Cell respiration Release of energy from glucose, cell respiration occurs in mitochondria

Draw a diagram of the human gas exchange system

- Mouth/nose
- Trachea
- Bronchi
- Bronchioles
- Lungs
- Alveoli
- Diaphragm
- Ribs/Intercostal muscles

Adaptive features of alveoli for gas exchange

- High density of capillaries surrounding alveoli
- Thin walls
- Moist layer covering the surface of the alveoli
- Large surface area due to shape

Description of ventilation system

- Ventilation occurs within the lungs
- Trachea divides to form two bronchi
- Bronchi divide into bronchioles
- Several divisions of bronchioles
- Alveoli connected to bronchioles
- Trachea/bronchi/bronchioles/airways lined with cilia
- Diaphragm and intercostal muscle
- Trachea and bronchi have c-shaped pieces of cartilage
- Alveolus is an air sac
- Many alveoli so large total surface area
- Wall of alveolus is a single layer of cells
- Cells in alveolus wall are very thin
- Surrounded by a network of capillaries
- Some cells in the wall secrete surfactant

Description of hydrophobic and hydrophilic nature of phospholipids in the

surfactant
- Hydrophilic groups facing the surface and hydrophobic tails facing outwards/in the air
Describe what happens in alveoli
- Gas exchange takes place in alveoli
- Oxygen diffuses from air to blood and carbon dioxide diffuses from blood to air
- Oxygen binds to haemoglobin in red blood cells
- During inspiration, pressure inside alveoli decreases, so that air enters alveoli
- Blood flows through capillaries, so that concentration gradient of gases can be maintained
- Surfactant secreted by type II pneumocytes can prevent sides of alveoli adhering

Explain the need of ventilation

- Small animals obtain oxygen by diffusion through skin
- Humans have a small surface area to volume ratio, so a ventilation system is needed to
increase surface areas for maintaining a concentration gradient in alveoli as oxygen is used in
respiration
- Gaseous exchange occurs between air in alveoli and blood capillaries
- Alveoli have high surface area to volume ratio to bring in fresh air

Explain the need of a ventilation system in humans

- Most cellular respiration is aerobic
- Skin is ineffective for ventilation
- Humans have a small ratio surface area : volume
- Ventilation system required to increase surface area
- to maintain a concentration gradient in alveoli
- Ventilation system exchanges gases between inhaled air and lungs, brings in fresh air
- Ventilation system maintains high concentration gradient of gases in alveoli
- Removes Carbon Dioxide, Gains Oxygen

Mechanism of ventilation in humans

- Ventilation is the movement of air into and our of lungs through trachea, bronchi and
bronchioles. Volume of lungs is increased and pressure in lungs is decreased, so that air flows
from higher to lower pressure
- a concentration gradient between alveoli and blood needs to be maintained
- Elastic recoil of lungs helps exhalation
- During inspiration
- External intercostal muscles contract and internal intercostal muscles relax to move the rib
cage upwards and outwards
- Abdomen muscles relax
- Diaphragm contracts to become flattened
- The volume of thorax increases and the pressure decreases, so that the greater atmospheric
pressure pushes air into the lungs
- During expiration
- External intercostal muscle relax and internal intercostal muscles contract to move the rib
cage downwards and inwards
- Abdomen muscles contract
- Diaphragm relaxes to push the diaphragm upwards
- The volume of thorax decreases and the pressure increases, so that the greater lung
pressure pushes air out of the lungs
Explain how and why the breathing rate varies with exercise
- Oxygen becomes limited
- Carbon Dioxide concentration builds up in blood
- Lactic acid builds up in blood
- Lowers blood pH
- Chemosensors detect lowered pH
- Sensors in aorta
- Send impulses to breathing centre
- Impulse sent to intercostal muscle and diaphragm
- Increases rate of breathing
- Involuntary control
- Breathing rate increases to remove more Carbon Dioxide from blood