Unit 1 Topic 2

Gas Exchange in
Animals
6.5 Gas Exchange in Animals
• Learning Goals:
By the end of this section you will be able to
• Explain the relationship between the structural
features (large surface area, moist, one or two cells
thick and surrounded by an extensive capillary
system) and function of gaseous exchange surfaces
(alveoli and gills) in terms of exchange of gases
(oxygen, carbon dioxide)
• Use data presented as diagrams, schematics and
tables to predict the direction in which materials will
be exchanged between alveoli and capillaries
 Why do we breathe?
All cells in all living organisms undergo
cellular respiration to release energy
from glucose.
 Why do we breathe?
Cellular respiration can be anaerobic (no
oxygen) or aerobic (requiring oxygen)

Aerobic respiration
glucose + oxygen  carbon dioxide + water + energy

C6H12O6 + O2  CO2 + H2O + 36-38ATP

Anaerobic respiration
glucose  carbon dioxide + water + energy
C6H12O6  2 Lactic Acid + 2ATP
 Why do we breathe?

Aerobic respiration needs a continuous

flow of oxygen into cells and the rapid
removal of carbon dioxide, a product of
cellular respiration. The respiratory system
is responsible for this exchange of gases

Gas molecules move into and out of cells

via diffusion (high to low) along a
concentration gradient in an aqueous
solution.
 How do gases move?

The movement of gases between the

respiratory surfaces and the
environment occurs entirely by diffusion
(high to low concentration).
 How do gases move?
For large, active animals, specialised
surfaces (including alveoli and gills) are
responsible for gas exchange via
diffusion (high to low concentration).
 Factors affecting the rate of
Diffusion of gases
1. Surface area of gas exchange surface
2. Distance gas has to travel
3. Concentration gradient (difference ion
concentration of a gas between one area and
another)
 Factors affecting rate of
diffusion – surface area
1. Surface Area: greater surface area =
faster rate of diffusion. (Proportional
relationship)
 Factors affecting rate of
diffusion – surface area
Mammals have multiple branches of
alveoli (sacs responsible for gas
exchange) to increase the Surface Area
 Factors affecting rate of
diffusion - Distance
2. Distance molecules must travel:
thinner surface = shorter distance =
faster rate of diffusion
 Factors affecting rate of
diffusion - distance
Gas exchange membranes are usually
only 1–2 cells thick as this reduces the
distance the dissolved gases need to
move through to enter the bloodstream
of the organism.
 Factors affecting rate of
diffusion – Concentration gradient
3. Concentration gradient (the difference in
concentration between two areas):
steeper concentration gradient (i.e.
bigger difference = faster rate of diffusion
 Factors affecting rate of
diffusion – concentration gradient
In animals, deoxygenated
blood (low oxygen, high
carbon dioxide) passes close
to gas exchange
surfaces(alveoli).
This means there is a large
difference in oxygen and
carbon dioxide concentrations
between the blood and inside
the alveoli (air sacs).
This ensures efficient (fast)
gas exchange. The blood is
continuously moving to allow
diffusion to occur
continuously.
 Factors affecting rate of
Diffusion - Moisture
4. All living cells must be bathed in water to
maintain their cell membranes and allow
gases (i.e. oxygen and carbon dioxide) to
diffuse across these surfaces after first
dissolving in water.
 Factors affecting rate of
diffusion
Respiratory surfaces (alveoli and gills) are thin
(1-2 cells thick), moist, surrounded by an
extensive network of blood vessels and have
a large surface area to allow efficient gas
exchange
 Factors affecting rate of
diffusion
Respiratory surfaces (alveoli and gills) are:
1) Thin (1-2 cells thick) = to reduce the distance that gases
need to diffuse across  speeds up diffusion
2) Moist = to allow gases to dissolve and diffuse easily across
gas exchange surfaces (e.g. alveoli walls)  speed up
diffusion
3) Surrounded by an extensive network of blood vessels = to
ensure that all gas exchange surfaces lie close to a blood
vessel in order to reduce the distance that gases need to
diffuse between gas exchange surface and blood  speeds
up diffusion
4) Have a large surface area = to increase the area over
which gases can be exchanged and in turn increase rate of
diffusion.
Gas Exchange in Aquatic Organisms
 Gas Exchange System
EFFECT OF SURROUNDING MEDIUM
Problems with living in water:
Oxygen isn’t very soluble in water, there is only 1% in water
compared to 21% in air (this high percentage allows a higher
metabolic rate in terrestrial and air breathing aquatic animals)
Water doesn’t flow as easily as air so moving it, like we do air in and
out of our lungs, takes too much energy. Therefore, water only flows
in one direction over gas exchange surfaces
Gills of Aquatic Organisms
Gills = gas exchange surface of
aquatic animals
Gas exchange takes place between
the water and highly vascularised
(lots of blood vessel) gills
Gills of Aquatic Organisms

Gills are made of gill

arches lying on either
side of the buccal
(mouth) cavity,
protected by the
operculum (bony
covering of the gills in
bony fish)
Gills of Aquatic Organisms

From each gill arch extends

two rows of gill filaments
(primary lamellae)
The filaments are made up
of tiny shelf-like secondary
lamellae on either side
giving the gills a very large
surface area.
Each of these lamellae
contains a capillary network
(carrying blood) inside it and
this is where gas exchange
occurs.
 Gills of Aquatic Organisms
A large gill surface area (lamellae) surface area and
a small distance between the blood inside the gills
and the water is needed for gas exchange to be
efficient.
 Gills of Aquatic Organisms
Oxygen diffuses from the water into the capillaries
of the lamellae along a concentration gradient and
the carbon dioxide diffuses in the opposite
direction
 Gills of Aquatic Organisms
A constant stream of water needs to pass over the gills to
maintain a concentration gradient for gas exchange to
occur efficiently
When fish are active they keep their mouths open for this
to occur. When they are inactive fish move their operculum
(sheet of cartilage covering their gills) and buccal cavity
(throat) to ventilate the gills
 Gills of Aquatic Organisms
Water flowing through the gills in the opposite direction to
the flow of blood through the capillaries is called counter-
current exchange
This counter-current flow increases the efficiency of gas
exchange because it helps maintain a large concentration
gradient over the large surface
 Gills of Aquatic Organisms
Counter-current exchange increases oxygen intake because the
oxygen concentration in the water exceeds that of the blood along
the whole length of the lamella
96% of the oxygen is removed from the water as it passes through
the gills
 CHECK YOUR LEARNING
p.177
• 1) Describe how the following factors determine the
efficiency of diffusion:
a) The size of the surface of the gas exchange area
b) The thickness of the gas exchange area
c) The concentration gradient across the gas
exchange area
• 5) Many people with cystic fibrosis develop a thick,
viscous layer of fluid on their gas exchange surfaces.
Apply your knowledge to show why this may make it
difficult for oxygen to enter their bloodstream.
 CHECK YOUR LEARNING
p.177
• 1)Describe how the following factors determine the efficiency of
diffusion:
a) the size of the surface of the gas exchange area
• The larger the gas exchange surface, the more efficient the rate of
diffusion because there is more area over which diffusion can occur.
b) the thickness of the gas exchange area
• The thinner the gas exchange surface, the faster diffusion will occur.
Gas exchange membranes are usually only 1–2 cells thick as this
reduces the distance the dissolved gases need to move through to
enter the bloodstream of the organism.
c)the concentration gradient across the gas exchange area.
• Maintaining a high concentration gradient makes diffusion more
efficient. This enables gases to move down their concentration
gradient and continuously move across the gas exchange
membrane where they are needed.
 CHECK YOUR LEARNING
p.177
• 5) Many people with cystic fibrosis develop a thick,
viscous layer of fluid on their gas exchange surfaces.
Apply your knowledge to show why this may make it
difficult for oxygen to enter their bloodstream.
• As oxygen enters the alveoli it dissolves into the fluid
before diffusion across the membrane. Thicker fluid
slows the diffusion of oxygen into the bloodstream.
Gas Exchange in Animals
Respiratory System Function
Respiratory System Function
 Gas Exchange between the
blood and alveoli
Air moves in through the
mouth and nose, down the
pharynx and trachea until the
pathway splits into two bronchi.
Each bronchus branches into
lots of tubes (bronchioles)
which get smaller and smaller.
They end in tiny bubble-like
sacs called alveoli.

The interior of each alveolus

has a moist lining to allow the
oxygen to dissolve. They are
enclosed by a single layer of
flattened cells which form a
thin membrane for gases to
travel across. Each alveoli lies
very close to the surrounding
capillaries (to allow for a
reduced distance and efficient
gas exchange)
 Adaptations of alveoli
Large surface area (300 million alveoli in
a healthy lung) to increase area
available for diffusion of gases
 Adaptations of alveoli
Moist, permeable surface covered in
surfactant to allow gases to dissolve and
diffuse across
 Adaptations of alveoli
Thin exchange surface to increase the
rate of diffusion by decreasing distance
gases have to travel across
 Adaptations of alveoli
Surrounded by an extensive network of
capillaries – which allows fast and efficient
exchange of gases due to minimising the
distance the oxygen and carbon dioxide have
to travel between alveoli and blood.
 Adaptations of alveoli
The respiratory surface is made up of the
alveoli and capillary walls. Gases are
exchanged between the alveoli and
capillaries.

The walls of the capillaries and the alveoli may

share the same membrane
Gas Exchange and Partial Pressure
Partial pressure is the pressure exerted by each
component in a mixture. The total pressure of a
gas mixture is the sum of the partial pressures of
each individual gas in a mixture.
Partial pressure is measured in kPa (kilopascals)
or mmHg (millimetres of mercury)
Gas Exchange and Partial Pressure
Gases move from areas of high pressure to areas of
lower pressure as pressure is directly proportional to
the concentration of the gas molecule (i.e. higher pressure
= higher gas concentration)
If the partial pressure of a gas differs between two
areas, this means that a concentration gradient (i.e.
difference in concentration) exists.
Carbon dioxide diffuses out of the blood into the lungs
because the partial pressure is greater in the blood
than in the air in the alveoli
Oxygen diffuses into the blood of the capillaries
because the partial pressure or oxygen is greater in the
air than it is in the blood.
Gas Exchange and Partial Pressure
Gas Exchange and Partial Pressure
Gas Exchange and Partial Pressure
Check your understanding

1. The diagram opposite shows a capillary

and an alveolus. Identify gases X and Y.
2. Define partial pressure.
3. If the total pressure of all atmospheric
gases is about 760mmHg, and if
oxygen is about 20% of this mixture,
calculate the partial pressure of
atmospheric oxygen.
4. The diagram opposite shows the
partial pressure of gases in the lung.
Discuss how partial pressure across the
cell membranes leads to gas exchange.
Check your understanding
1) The diagram opposite shows a capillary and an
alveolus. Identify gases X and Y.
• X is carbon dioxide and Y is oxygen
2) Define partial pressure.
• Partial pressure is the pressure exerted by each
component in a mixture.
• 3) If the total pressure of all atmospheric gases is about
760mmHg, and if oxygen is about 20% of this mixture,
calculate the partial pressure of atmospheric oxygen.
• 0.2 x 760mmHg = 152mmHg
4) The diagram opposite shows the partial pressure of
gases in the lung. Discuss how partial pressure across
the cell membranes leads to gas exchange.
• The diagram shows that blood arrives at the lung it has
lower partial pressure oxygen (P02 = 5.3kPa) and a
higher partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2 =
5.8kPa) than the alveolar air (13.3kPa and 5.3kPa
respectively). Pressure is directly proportional to the
concentration of the gas molecule. The difference in
pressure creates a concentration gradient that causes
diffusion and gas exchange
 Multiple Choice Questions

1. The respiratory system ________.

a) provides body tissues with oxygen
b) provides body tissues with oxygen and carbon dioxide
c)establishes how many breaths are taken per minute
d)provides the body with carbon dioxide

2. One essential characteristic of gas exchange surfaces (alveoli

in mammals, and gills in bony fish) is large surface area. This is
achieved by”
a) very thin, single-cell thickness membranes in both
b) close proximity to capillaries in both
c) multiple layers of feather filaments in alveoli, multiple
branches of air sacks in gills
d) multiple branches of air sacs in alveoli, multiple layers
of feathery filaments in gills
 Short Response Questions
1. List the factors characteristics of an efficient gas exchange
surface
2. Name the gas that must be:
a) taken into the body from the external environment
b) expelled from the body to the external environment
3. Name the structures between the internal and external
environment, through which gases move in:
a) mammals
b) bony fish
4. Explain why living things need to continually exchange gases
with their external environment
5. Describe the structural similarities between alveoli in the
lungs of mammals and gills in fish that allow them both to
function as gaseous exchange sites.
6. Describe the differences between alveoli and gills and explain
how each difference suits the organisms to its particular
environment.