RESPIRATION

&
GASEOUS
EXCHANGE IN
HUMANS
 RESPIRATION
 All of the cells in our bodies need energy in order to carry out their
various functions.
 Some of these functions include;
- Contracting muscles so that we can move parts of our bodies.
- Linking together amino acids into long chains to form protein molecules.
- Cell division which is pertinent for the repair of tissues and also our
growth.
- Active transport to allow for substances to move in and out of cells.
- The transmission of nerve impulses to efficiently transfer messages all over
the body.
- Internal heat production which is necessary to keep the body’s temperature
constant, even in cold environments.
 WHAT PROVIDES THIS
ENERGY?
 The energy needed to carry out such activities is obtained from food after it
has been digested.
 The nutrients obtained from food after digestion are transported by the blood
and delivered to the various cells according to need.

 Glucose is the main nutrient that is used to provide the cells with energy.

 However, this energy has to be extracted from the glucose molecules.

Therefore, cells must first break down the glucose molecules in order to release
the energy.

 Respiration – The process by which cells break down glucose molecules

in order to release energy.
 AEROBIC RESPIRATION
 Aerobic Respiration refers to the release of energy from glucose by
combining it with oxygen.

 The reactions which take place in aerobic respiration are all controlled by
enzymes.

 The worded equation for respiration is as follows;

Glucose + Oxygen Carbon Dioxide + Water
The chemical equation for respiration is as follows;

 The reactions involved in aerobic respiration mainly occur within the

mitochondria of cells.
 ANAEROBIC RESPIRATION
 Respiration not only occurs with oxygen, but it can also occur without it.

 When respiration occurs without oxygen, it is known as Anaerobic

Respiration. (‘an’ meaning ‘without’)

 However, this type of respiration is not as efficient as aerobic respiration

because not much energy is released per glucose molecule.

 Yeast, a single-celled organism which is a fungus, is able to respire

anaerobically. It breaks down glucose to alcohol.
Glucose Alcohol + Carbon Dioxide
 Certain cells in our bodies, for example, our muscle cells, are able to
respire anaerobically for a short period of time.

 When this occurs, lactic acid is produced and there is no production of

carbon dioxide.

 This happens when vigorous exercise is done. Our cells expend energy at
such a rapid rate that it outruns the circulatory system of the body,
making it unable to supply oxygen as quickly as it is needed.

 The lactic acid produced is eventually broken down into lactate, which
makes the blood acidic and this contributes to muscle fatigue.
SUMMARY OF AEROBIC AND
ANAEROBIC RESPIRATION
GASEOUS EXCHANGE IN
HUMANS
 In order for respiration to occur, oxygen and glucose are needed. In plants
and animals, oxygen is obtained from the surrounding atmosphere. Plants
get glucose by photosynthesis and animals get it by eating carbohydrates.

 Carbon Dioxide is produced as a waste product (by-product) of aerobic

respiration.

 In order for oxygen to enter into the body and diffuse into the blood and
for carbon dioxide to leave, surfaces for gaseous exchange are required.

 These surfaces are mainly the alveoli of the lungs and the capillaries
which surround the alveoli.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF SURFACES
FOR GAS EXCHANGE
 Surfaces must be permeable.

 They are thin to allow for the rapid diffusion of gases.

 They must be close to an efficient transport system in order to take gases

to and from the exchange surface.

 Must contain a large surface area so that a lot of gas can diffuse across at
the same time.

 A good supply of oxygen is also needed {this is often brought about by

breathing movements}.
THE HUMAN
BREATHING
SYSTEM
 The main structures involved in gaseous exchange in humans are;
- Nose & mouth
- Larynx
- Trachea
- Bronchus
- Bronchioles
- Left & right lung
- Alveoli
- External & Internal Intercostal muscles
 The most important of the structures are the two (2) lungs which are filled
with tiny air sacs called alveoli. The air enters the lungs via the Trachea.
 Oxygen diffuses into the blood at the alveoli.
 The lungs feel very light and spongy due to the abundance of air spaces.
 THE JOURNEY OF AIR TO THE
LUNGS
 The nose & mouth
- Air can enter the body through the nose and mouth.
- Both are separated by the palate.
- While we are capable of breathing through our mouth and nose, it is
better to breathe through our nose.
- The nose is structured in such a way as to make the air warm, moist and
filtered before entering into the lungs. Inhaling through the mouth doesn’t
allow for this.
- Hairs in the nose trap dust particles from the air.
- Inside the nose there are thin bones called Turbinal Bones. These are
covered with a thin layer of cells. Some of these cells are called Goblet
Cells which make a liquid containing water and mucus which evaporates
into the air in the nose, causing it to become moist.
 CILIA

 Other cells which cover the turbinal bones have tiny hair- like projections
known as cilia.

 Due to the fact that the cilia are always moving, dust and bacteria or
particles of dust get trapped in them and in the mucus.

 Cilia are found all along the trachea and bronchi.

 Mucus containing bacteria and dust is trapped and held at the back of the
throat, so that the lungs are not blocked up.
 The Trachea
- After entering through either the nose or mouth, the air then goes into the
trachea (windpipe).
- Located at the top of the trachea is a piece of cartilage known as the
Epiglottis. This is responsible for closing the entrance to the trachea in
order to prevent food particles from going down the trachea when
swallowing.
- The covering of the trachea by the epiglottis occurs as a reflex action
when food touches the soft palate of the mouth.
- Just below the epiglottis is the Larynx (voice box), which contains the
vocal cords.
- The vocal cords can be tightened by muscles to make sounds when air
passes over them.
- The trachea is supported and kept open by rings of cartilage.
 The Bronchi

- The trachea goes down through the neck and finally into the Thorax.

- The thorax is the upper part of your body from your neck down to the
bottom of the ribs and diaphragm.

- The trachea divides into two (2) parts in the thorax.

- The two (2) branches into which the trachea divides are known as the left
and right bronchi (singular; bronchus).

- One bronchus goes into each lung and then branches out into smaller
tubes called Branchioles.
 DIAGRAM SHOWING THE
BRONCHI AND BRONCHIOLES
 The Alveoli
- At the end of each bronchiole are many tiny air sacs called Alveoli.
- Gas exchange occurs in the alveoli.
 GAS EXCHANGE IN THE LUNGS
 The gas exchange surface in the lungs are the alveoli.
 Capillaries are quite closely wrapped around the outside of the alveoli.
 Oxygen diffuses across the walls of the alveoli and into the blood while
carbon dioxide diffuses out of the blood and into the alveoli to be
removed via exhalation.
 Characteristics of the alveoli which make them an efficient gas exchange
surface;
- They are quite thin > Only about one cell thick, just like the capillaries.

- They have an excellent transport system > Blood is constantly pumped to

the lungs along the pulmonary artery which branches into thousands of
capillaries. These take blood to all parts of the lungs. Carbon dioxide in
the blood can diffuse out into air spaces in alveoli and oxygen diffuses into
the blood. The blood is then carried back to the heart.
 The alveoli have quite an enormous surface area > The total surface
area of all the alveoli in our lungs is 100m².
 They have a really good supply of oxygen > because the breathing
movements keep the lungs well supplied with oxygen.
 BREATHING MOVEMENTS
 In order to make the air move in and out of the lungs, you must keep
changing the volume of the thorax.
 Firstly, the thorax is made larger so that air can be sucked in.
 Next, in order for the air to be squeezed out, the thorax is made smaller.
 Breathing – The process of making the thorax larger and smaller so that
air can enter and leave the lungs.
 Intercostal muscles as well as muscles in the diaphragm help us to
breathe.
 Intercostal muscles are located between the ribs.
 The diaphragm is a large sheet of muscle and elastic tissue which
stretches across the body. It is located underneath the heart and lungs.
INSPIRATION [BREATHING IN]
(1) Diaphragm
muscles contract.

(5) Air rushes in (2) Diaphragm is

along the trachea pulled
and bronchi into downwards.
alveoli of the Volume of thorax
lungs. increases.

(4) As thorax (3) External

volume is increased, intercostal muscles
pressure inside falls contract, pulling
below atmospheric rib cage upwards
pressure. and outwards.
EXPIRATION [ BREATHING OUT]
(1) Muscles of the
diaphragm relax.

(5) Air is forced (2) The diaphragm

out of the lungs springs back to its
through our regular dome shape
nostrils or mouth. since it is made of
elastic tissue.

(3) Volume of the

(4) The rib cage thorax decreases.
drops down again External
into its normal intercostal
position. muscles relax.
 EXPIRATION (CONTINUED)
 Normally, the relaxing of the external intercostal muscles and the muscles
of the diaphragm is all that is needed for expiration.

 However, when coughing, we breathe out in a more forceful manner.

 In such a scenario, the internal intercostal muscles contract strongly,

causing the rib cage to drop down even further.

 Not only do the internal intercostal muscles contract strongly, but the wall
muscles of the abdomen also contract, which helps to squeeze extra air
out of the thorax.
DIAGRAM SHOWING
CHANGES IN THE
THORAX DURING
INSPIRATION AND
EXPIRATION
 RESPIRATION,
BREATHING,
GASEOUS
EXCHANGES
[DIFFERENCES]
 THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
EXERCISE AND BREATHING RATE
 All of the oxygen that is needed by cells for respiration is provided by the
lungs.
 The blood circulatory system carries this oxygen around the body.
 However, certain cells may require a large amount of energy at a rapid rate.
(eg) when running a race. The muscles in our legs will be using up a lot of
energy and in order to achieve the required rapid muscular contraction, the
cells in the muscles combine the oxygen with glucose as fast as they can in
order to release the energy that is needed.
 This is why you will breathe harder, deeper and faster so that more oxygen
can enter the blood.
 In turn the heart beats faster in order to deliver the oxygen to the muscles as
quickly as possible.
 However, the heart and lungs can only supply oxygen up to a certain rate
and then a limit is reached.
 Therefore, if one is running a race, extra energy may be needed, which is
produced by anaerobic respiration.
 In this reaction, some of the body’s glucose is broken down without
combining it with oxygen.
Glucose Lactic acid + Energy
 As previously mentioned, anaerobic respiration does not release as much
energy as aerobic respiration.
 After running a race, there is quite a lot of lactic acid in muscles and
blood.
 In order for this lactic acid to be broken down, it is taken to the liver
where it is combined with oxygen in aerobic respiration
 After a race, an athlete will continue to breathe deeply and fast and the
heart rate will continue to be high so that the lactic acid in the muscles
can be transported quickly to the liver.

 Due to the fact that an ‘oxygen debt’ was built up during the race, extra
oxygen has to be taken in to break down the lactic acid

 Only when all the lactic acid has been used up, then will the rate of the
heart and breathing return to normal.

 The brain controls the rate at which the breathing muscles work, which in
turn controls breathing rates.
 The brain constantly monitors the pH of the blood that flows through it.

 If there is a lot of carbon dioxide or lactic acid in the blood, the pH level
will fall (indicating a rise in the level of acidity).

 The brain then senses this drop in the pH level of the blood and sends
nerve impulses to the diaphragm and intercostal muscles.

 This causes them to contract harder and more often, resulting in faster
breathing and deeper breaths.