Week 12

A comprehensive set of flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to gas exchange and circulation in BIOL 2120.

Ventilation

The process of moving air into and out of the lungs.

Gas exchange

The process of exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide between the blood and the environment.

Circulation

The movement of blood through the heart and blood vessels to transport nutrients and gases.

Cellular Respiration

The set of metabolic reactions that convert biochemical energy from nutrients into ATP.

Respiratory system

The organ system responsible for the exchange of gases between the body and the environment.

Atmospheric pressure

The pressure exerted by the weight of air in the atmosphere.

Partial pressures of gases

The pressure that a gas would exert if it occupied the entire volume alone.

Fick’s Law of Diffusion

Describes the rate of gas diffusion across a membrane based on factors like surface area, concentration gradients, and membrane thickness.

Countercurrent exchange

A mechanism that enhances gas exchange efficiency by flowing two fluids in opposite directions.

Alveoli

Tiny air sacs in the lungs where gas exchange occurs.

Cooperative binding

The phenomenon by which the binding of one oxygen molecule to hemoglobin increases the affinity for additional oxygen molecules.

Carbonic anhydrase

An enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of carbon dioxide and water to carbonic acid.

Bicarbonate ions

Ions formed from carbonic acid which play a key role in transporting carbon dioxide in the blood.

Open circulatory system

A type of circulatory system in which blood is not always contained within blood vessels.

Closed circulatory system

A circulatory system where blood is contained within vessels.

Hydrostatic pressure

The pressure exerted by a fluid at rest.

Osmotic pressure

The pressure required to prevent the flow of a solvent into a solution through a semipermeable membrane.

Baroreceptors

Sensors in the body that detect changes in blood pressure.

Positive pressure ventilation

Breathing mechanism that increases air pressure in the lungs to force air out.

Negative pressure ventilation

Breathing mechanism that creates a vacuum in the thoracic cavity to draw air in.

Homeostasis

The maintenance of stable internal conditions in an organism.

pH

A measure of acidity or alkalinity, which can regulate breathing rates.

Heart chambers - atria and ventricles

The four chambers of the heart that pump blood throughout the body.