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Gaseous Exchange Study Guide

Form II Biology
July 2008
Copy the questions and write the answers in your Biology Counter Book. Remember to include this topic
(Gaseous Exchange Study Guide) in your Table of Contents and the pages that your work can be found.
Refer to the following pages to complete the activities in this study guide.
 Pages 132 through 138 in Biology for Secondary Schools Book I
 Pages 146, 160, 161, 101-105 in Introduction to Biology Third Tropical Edition.

The concept of Gaseous Exchange

Oxidation of food during respiration provides energy for all metabolic activity. A continuous supply of oxygen is
required for this process to be effective. Oxidation of food (aerobic respiration). can take place if there is
oxygen! Remember the chemical equation for this process of aerobic respiration is:
C6H12O6 + 6O2 6CO2 + 6H2O + 38 ATP + heat
Glucose + Oxygen Carbon dioxide + Water + lots of Energy

Water and energy are necessary for metabolic activities, BUT the carbon dioxide produced is toxic above certain
levels and MUST be removed.

The Intake of Oxygen and Removal of Carbon Dioxide in a living organism is called GASEOUS EXCHANGE.

Respiratory surfaces MUST BE MOIST! Diffusion of gases across cell membranes only takes place in solution

Part I Vocabulary
Write the definition for the following terms in complete sentences.
1 gaseous exchange 12 lamellae 23 alveoli
2 metabolic activity 24 thoracic cavity
3 respiratory surfaces Amphibians 25 ribs and intercostal muscles
4 ventilation 14 cutaneous gaseous exchange 26 sternum
Amoeba 15 buccal cavity gaseous 27 diaphragm
5 diffusion exchange 28 pleural membranes
Insects 16 pulmonary or lung gaseous 29 inspiration or inhalation
6 spiracles exchange 30 expiration or exhalation
7 tracheal tubes 17 alveoli 31 oxygenated blood
8 tracheoles Mammals 32 deoxygenated blood
Fish 18 lungs Plants
9 gills 19 trachea 33 (Leaf) stomata
10 gill bar 20 bronchus 34 (stem) lenticels
11 gill filaments 21 larynx 35 (root) pneumatophores
22 bronchioles

Respiratory
Part II Observations and Drawing Gaseoussurfaces
ExchangeMUST BE MOIST!
Structures in different organisms.
Diffusion of gases across cell membranes only takes place in solution
Protoctistans: Amoeba
to allow gases to dissolve and diffuse.
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Draw a picture of an amoeba in water using the picture provided.

 Label the following parts: cytoplasm, nucleus, cell membrane.
 Draw arrows showing how oxygen dissolves into the water from the air then diffuses into the amoeba
through the cell membrane. (Remember oxygen molecules diffuse from higher concentrations to lower
concentrations).
 Draw arrows showing how carbon dioxide diffuses out of the amoeba after the respiration (using O 2 and
making CO2). Then how carbon dioxide diffuses out of the water into the air. (Remember carbon dioxide
molecules diffuse from higher concentrations to lower concentrations).

DID YOU KNOW AMOEBA…?

Amoeba is a single celled organism that lives in water and
exchange gases through its cell membrane. Therefore, its
respiratory surface is its cell membrane.
Insects: Grasshopper
Observation: Catch a grasshopper and use a hand lens to observe the head, thorax and abdomen. Look for the
spiracles on the abdomen.
Draw a picture of a grasshopper.
 Label the head, thorax and abdomen.
 Draw and label the spiracles on the abdomen.
Draw a picture of the inside of the grasshopper showing:
 Tracheal tube, tracheole, air sacs, and main tracheal channels.

DID YOU KNOW INSECTS…?

Spiracles on insects are openings through which air enters the tracheal tubes. These
tubes run throughout the entire body and branch into smaller tubes called tracheoles.
Trachole surfaces are moist, allowing oxygen to dissolve before it diffuses into the
muscle tissues of the insect. Carbon dioxide exits through the tracheole after
respiration. The intake and exit of air through the spiracles is by contraction and
Fish relaxation of the abdomen muscles.
Observation: Get a fish in the lab and follow directions below:
1. Remove the gill covers (operculum) to expose the gills. Observe the gills with a hand lens.
2. Draw a picture of the fish to show the arrangement of the gills.
3. Compare your drawing with the drawing provided in the room.
4. Carefully remove one of the gills and observe with a hand lens.
5. Draw the gill and Compare your drawing with the drawing provided in the room.
6. Label the following parts: operculum, gill bar, gill lamellae, and blood vessels.
7. Draw and label a picture of gill ventilation showing breathing in and breathing out. Compare your
drawing with the drawing provided in the room

DID YOU KNOW FISH….?

Gills are organs in fish that are for gaseous exchange. Oxygen in the water is
absorbed through the gills. Each gill is made of a bone called a gill bar which has
a gill filaments attached. Each filament is made of lamellae which increase the
surface area of the filament for oxygen and carbon dioxide molecules to move.
The network of blood capillaries by the lamellae transport the O 2 molecules to
the entire fish body and CO2 waste back out, allowing gaseous exchange.
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Amphibians: Frog
Draw a picture of a frog using the picture provided.
Label the following parts: lung, buccal cavity, mouth, and skin.
Draw arrows showing the movement of air (oxygen) into the buccal cavity lining and of air (carbon dioxide) out.
Draw another picture with lungs and arrows showing the movement of air (oxygen) into the lungs and of air
(carbon dioxide) out of the lungs.

DID YOU KNOW FROGS…?

Tadpoles use gills for gaseous exchange when young and use spiracles when they get older.
Adult Frogs have three different ways for gaseous exchange; through skin, buccal cavity or lungs.
When frogs are in water they use their skin as an organ for gaseous exchange. Their skin has many
blood capillaries to carry the oxygen molecules to their heart. Their heart pumps the oxygenated
blood to the entire body through arteries and then veins carry the deoxygenated blood back to the
heart. The heart pumps this blood back to the skin and the waste carbon dioxide molecules diffuse
out the skin.
When frogs are on land, they use their buccal cavity and their lungs. The buccal cavity is the inside
of the mouth. It has lots of blood capillaries to absorb the air molecules acting as a respiratory
surface for the frog. Ventilation in the buccal cavity happens by pumping the air through the skin in
the mouth into the capillaries by rising and lowering the lower part of the buccal cavity. The air is
sucked in through the nostrils by lowering the buccal cavity. When the floor of the buccal cavity is
raised again, the carbon dioxide returning from the capillaries is pushed out the nostrils.
Frogs use their lungs only when they need to lots of oxygen for strenuous tasks. Each lung is made
of tiny air sacs called alveoli. An alveolus has many blood capillaries that carry the oxygen to the
body and bring carbon dioxide waste back, allowing gaseous exchange. The process is the same as
in the buccal cavity ventilation except the nostrils are closed after inhaling and air is pumped
several times to push air into the lungs before opening the nostrils and expelling air.
Part III
Gaseous Exchange in Mammals
Rat or Mouse
1. Draw a picture of a rat respiratory system using the picture provided in your Biology Book I, p. 139.
Label the following parts: epiglottis, thyroids cartilage, larynx, trachea, bronchus, lobes of lung.

Did you know … MAMMALS

Mammals have two lungs, each lung is connected to the trachea tube by a bronchus tube.
Bronchus branch into smaller tubes called bronchioles which end in air sacs called alveoli.
Lungs are enclosed in an airtight thoracic cavity (chest) which is within the ribs and diaphragm.
Humans
1. Draw a picture of a human lung structure using the picture provided in your Biology Book I, p. 140.
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Label the following parts: larynx, trachea, bronchioles, ribs, heart, intercostals muscles, and pleural
cavity.
2. Draw a picture of separate picture showing the air sacs using the picture provided in your Biology Book I,
p. 140.
Draw arrows showing how the oxygenated blood moves out and the deoxygenated blood moves into the
lungs.
3. Draw the thoracic cavity using the picture provided in your Biology Book I, p. 140.
Label the following parts: diaphragm, chest wall, lung, trachea.
Mechanisms of Breathing in Humans
Getting air into the lungs is called inspiration or inhalation. Getting air out of the lungs is called expiration
or exhalation. A normal person does this about 15-20 times per minute.
4. Observe the model of lungs provided.
Copy the chart below:
Gaseous Exchange Movements
Inhalation Exhalation
1. Ribs and sternum raised by contraction of 1. Ribs and sternum lowered by relaxation of
intercostals muscles. intercostals muscles and gravity.
2. Diaphragm contracts and lowers, becoming 2. Diaphragm relaxes and returns to normal
flatter. dome-shaped position.
3. Volume of thoracic cavity increases 3. Volume of thoracic cavity decreases
4. Pressure in thoracic cavity decreases 4. Pressure in thoracic cavity increases
5. Air is sucked into the lungs to equalise the 5. Air is forced out of the lungs to equalise the
pressure. pressure.

5. Draw a picture of gaseous exchange across the alveolus using the picture provided in Biology Book I, p.
145
Label the following parts: alveolar space, alveolar wall, film of water, blood capillary, blood cells,
oxygen, carbon dioxide
Draw arrows and label the inhaled air and exhaled air.

6. Read pages 146 – 148 in Biology Book I.

Gaseous Exchange in Plants
1. Draw a picture of a lenticel (pores in stems and roots) using the picture provided in Biology Book I, p.
149.
Label the following: loose cork cells and air space.
2. Draw a picture of gaseous exchange and movement of carbondioxide and oxygen in the leaf using the
picture provided in Biology Book I, p. 149.
Read pages 148- 150 about plants in Biology Book I.

Short Answer:
Write the question in your counter book and refer to the pages in your books and information above to write the
answers.

1. Describe the process of gaseous exchange.

2. Describe four features of respiratory surfaces which make them efficient in gaseous exchange.
3. List the various structures in the animal kingdom used for gaseous exchange.
4. Describe the route that oxygen passes from the atmosphere to the blood of a mammal.
5. Describe the breathing mechanism in fish.
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6. Name the structures in plants for gaseous exchange.

7. Give three reasons why plants do not have specialized organs for exchanging gases.
8. Explain why is it dangerous to burn charcoal in a room with no ventilation? Include in your explanation
how carbon monoxide combines with haemoglobin in your red blood cells.
9. Explain how carbon dioxide concentration affects the rate of breathing.
10. List the differences between inhaled and exhaled air.