Starter

Explain how breathing muscles create the change in pressure in the alveoli at the start of inspiration
Diaphragm contracts, and moves down. The intercostal muscles contract and ribs move up and out. This increases the volume of the lungs, the pressure is reduced and air flows in

How does oxygen get into the blood? Learning outcomes

1. 2.

Name features of gas exchange structure Explain how structure facilitates gas exchange

What is the atmosphere made of?

The gases that make up the atmosphere are present in the following amounts:
about 21% is oxygen the remaining 1% is mostly argon (0.93%) with some carbon dioxide (0.035%), varying amounts of water vapour and trace amounts of other gases

about 78% is nitrogen

For efficient diffusion, a gas exchange surface needs to have:

A large surface area:volume ratio

A short diffusion path (ie thin)

A large concentration gradient Partially permeable membrane Movement of internal (blood) and external (air) medium

In humans, alveoli are the ONLY site of gas exchange.

Adaptations to gas exchange

Large surface area

Human lungs have about 350 million alveoli. At the end of each broncheole is a cluster of alveoli. If alveoli were all spread out, they would cover 70m2. This provides a huge surface area for gas exchange.

A good blood supply The alveoli are covered with a network of capillaries. The capillaries are very narrow so red blood cells (RBCs) touch the walls of the capillaries. So- the distance between the air in the alveoli and RBCs is very short. This minimises the diffusion distance.

Thin walls
The alveolar walls are only one cell thick. They are made of flattened cells called Squamous epithileum This also reduces the area for diffusion of gases.

The surface cannot be dry

The surface of the alveoli is covered in a thin film of moisture. Oxygen dissolves in the moisture, This lowers the rate of diffusion.

But increases alveolar permeability to oxygen.

A concentration gradient

A concentration gradient is essential for gas exchange.

The gradient is maintained by ventilation and blood flow. Oxygen diffuses into RBCs, and the blood moves on rapidly, being replaced by oxygen poor RBCs. This means the oxygen concentration is always much higher in the alveoli than the blood.

Label the diagram Epithelial cell

Elastic fibres & collagen

Capillary

Surfactant producing epithelial cell

Phagocyte (macrophage)

An alveolus and blood capillaries

Gas exchange animation http://highered.mcgrawhill.com/sites/0072495855/student_view0/ chapter25/animation__gas_exchange_duri ng_respiration.html

Match the function with the structure

Match the function with the Structure

Task
Answer summary questions on page 79 of text book Then try the application style exam question