Respiratory System Bio II Lab 2/11/25

What are alveoli?

balloon-like sacs located at the end of the bronchioles in the lungs. It is a place where the exchange of gases happen. Each alveolus is surrounded by a network of capillaries, where oxygen diffuses into the bloodstream and carbon dioxide is removed from the blood.

What is the diaphragm in respiration?

dome shaped muscle located beneath the lungs which contracts rhythmically with breathing. If the muscles inside and outside the ribcage stop working, intercostal and external costal, then the patient can still breathe but If the diaphragm stops working in the patient then they die.

What are gills?

organs which allow aquatic animals to breathe by exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide with water. Gills=Lungs

What are the lungs for human beings and mammals?

organs for the exchange of gases, they are spongy organs in the chest.

What is the pharynx?

It is a tube like structure, which is a passage for the air to enter the lungs.

What is the function of spiracles in insects?

It is an opening in the exoskeleton of insects to allow air to enter the trachea so that oxygen is directly delivered into an animal's tissue. These openings are found in the thorax and abdomen of the insect. Air enters the trachea through the spiracles, and then the oxygen is diffused in the entire body. So they are not breathing like mammals. So the spiracles will, take the air in through the trachea, and the entire air will be diffused in the insect's body.

What is the trachea

a membranous passage through which we breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide.

What is tracheal?

Tiny tubes in the respiratory system of a insect and spider that transports oxygen and removes carbon dioxide.

What is aerobic metabolism?

It is a process by which body generates energy or ATP from food using oxygen, a key component in producing energy from food. Carbon dioxide is produced as a waste product. Oxygen is the key component in producing energy from food, which we eat, and carbon dioxide is a waste product. Without oxygen, the cells cannot carry out their normal functions or produce energy. And when the carbon dioxide is removed from the body, it maintains a normal acid base balance.

How the acid base balance is maintained in the body?

When we take in oxygen, and as the oxygen goes in, the carbon dioxide should be released from the body.

How does the gas exchange happens in small animals?

diffusion.

What is the process of diffusion?

the movement of molecules from an area of higher concentration to lower concentration.

Why do larger animals have an advantage in gas exchange compared to smaller animals?

they have an expanded area for gas exchange. So large surface area increase the amount of gas that can diffuse in into and out of the lungs. So large surface area increases the amount of gas that can diffuse in and out of the lungs.

Name a couple of insects where there is no respiratory system.

Protozoa, sponges, flatworm, roundworm

If some insects don’t have a respiratory system then how does oxygen and carbon dioxide move through the cell membrane?

Diffusion

How do larger aquatic animals increase the area of gas exchange?

Through their gills

A fish will suffocate when removed from the water. Why?

Their gills will collapse and stick to each other, reducing the space available for gas exchange causing there to be no surface area for the fish to take in the air.

What is cutaneous respiration?

The exchanging of oxygen and carbon dioxide through skin instead of gills or lungs. Ex. salamanders found in North And Middle America. They breed through cutaneous respiration.

What is hemocyanin (respiratory pigment)?

a protein that transports oxygen in the blood of many arthropods, mollusks, and shellfish. It is a protein. Without it, breathing will be impossible in these insects.

How does hemocyanin (respiratory pigment) work?

It binds with oxygen and is transported to the gills and lungs and the tissues of the body. Carbon dioxide is carried back to the respiratory organs where it is exchanged or thrown out in the environment.

What is the function of the tracheal system in insects?

It delivers oxygen directly to tissues and removes carbon dioxide through small openings called spiracles.

What does an insect's trachea system consist of?

It is a network of air filled tubes called trachea or the tracheoles that run throughout the insect's body. There are tracheas that run through the entire body. They deliver oxygen directly to the tissues.

What is the function of the tracheal in insects?

It delivers oxygen directly into the tissues and remove carbon dioxide through small openings called the spiracles.

How does gas exchange occur in insects?

It’s facilitated by the contraction of the abdominal and flight muscles. When these muscles contract, the body compresses, aiding in the movement of gases. Large insects also have air sacs, which are compressed by body movements, allowing oxygen to be efficiently delivered to the tissues.

As the insect moves, these contractions create a continuous exchange of gases, ensuring oxygen reaches the tissues. Unlike mammals, insects do not breathe through lungs. Instead, oxygen travels directly through the tracheal system and reaches the tissues via diffusion, assisted by muscle contractions.

The tracheal system is highly efficient and requires little to no energy for gas exchange. Because diffusion occurs faster in air than in water, insects can rapidly exchange gases without an active circulatory system.

True or false? Diffusion occurs faster in the water than air.

False

What are gills?

In aquatic organisms, they are the organs that function as the respiratory organs for gas exchange. They are found in aquatic invertebrates, fish arthropods, and mollusks.

How do animals that breathe through gills obtain oxygen and remove carbon dioxide?

When an animal breathes through gills, it takes in water through its mouth, which also flows over the gill filaments. On the gills, there are tiny blood vessels called capillaries. Dissolved oxygen, the oxygen which is in the water diffuses across the thin gill membrane into the blood giving the entire body oxygen and taking away the carbon dioxide which is moved out through the gills into the water.

What is vital capacity?

the maximum amount of air that can be exhaled after a full inhalation.

What is lamellae?

It is a thin fold or a plate like structure arising from the gill filament that contains blood capillaries, which acts as a site for gas exchange. Lamellae provides greater surface area for gas exchange.

What is operculum?

It is a protective covering over the delicate gills, which is made up of bones and muscles.

How is the respiratory system structured in amphibians, reptiles, and mammals, and what is the role of the alveoli in gas exchange?

In amphibians, reptiles, and mammals, the respiratory system includes lungs, which have a branching structure. From the trachea, two bronchi extend into the left and right lungs. These bronchi further divide into primary, secondary, and tertiary branches. At the end of the tertiary bronchi are the bronchioles, which lead to the alveoli.

The alveoli are the sites of gas exchange, where oxygen is absorbed into the bloodstream, and carbon dioxide is expelled. This branching system allows for efficient respiration, enabling mammals to breathe effectively.

How do some fish, like goldfish, take in additional oxygen when needed?

They swim to the water’s surface, take a large gulp of air, close their mouth, and return underwater because they are not getting enough oxygen from the water.

How do frogs force air into their lungs?

They take a mouthful of air, close their mouth, and compress their pharyngeal space to push air into their lungs.

How is the trachea structured in mammals?

It divides into the left and right bronchi, which further branch into primary, secondary, and tertiary bronchi. At the end of the tertiary bronchi are the bronchioles, leading to the alveoli, where gas exchange occurs.

What are the roles of the internal and external intercostal muscles?

Internal intercostal muscles aid in expiration, while external intercostal muscles assist in inspiration.

What happens if the diaphragm stops working?

the patient will be unable to breathe and will die immediately.

What instrument is used to measure human respiratory volume?

A spirometer.

How does a spirometer assess lung function?

It measures lung capacity by detecting how much air a person can inhale and exhale. If the lungs are not functioning properly, the needle on the spirometer will not move as expected.

What conditions can affect spirometer readings?

Lung diseases such as asthma, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), and lung cancer can lower spirometer readings.

What is vital capacity?

The maximum amount of air that can be exhaled after a full inhalation. It is used to assess respiratory muscle strength.

What is residual volume?

The amount of air left in the lungs after maximum exhalation.

What is the formula for total lung capacity?

Total Lung Capacity = Vital Capacity + Residual Volume.

What is tidal volume?

the volume of air inhaled and exhaled during a normal breathing cycle, typically about 500 milliliters.

What is inspiratory reserve volume?

The additional volume of air that can be inhaled with maximum effort beyond normal inhalation.

What is expiratory reserve volume?

The maximum amount of air that can be exhaled with force beyond a normal exhalation.

What is dead space in the respiratory system?

It refers to air that does not participate in gas exchange, approximately 50 milliliters.

What is the role of internal intercostal muscles in breathing?

They assist in expiration by pushing air out of the lungs.

What is ram ventilation?

A method used by fast-swimming fish like sharks and tuna, allowing water to flow over their gills while swimming with open mouths. The water enters the mouth, flows over the gills, and gives the body oxygen and takes away the carbon dioxide through the gill slits, and it is thrown in the body