Gas Exchange : A Important Bodily Process

The two body organ systems involved in gas exchange are the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. O2 and CO2 cross the cell membrane via simple diffusion. Because cells all throughout the body require oxygen and the removal of carbon dioxide, this simple method of diffusion is the best way to transport such small molecules over a large area as efficiently as possible.

Gas exchange in mammals is carried out through the lungs. But gas exchange actually occurs in the alveoli within the lungs.

All living organisms need Gas exchange in order to generate energy which is formed through this process, allowing other life processes to be carried out enabling them to survive and reproduce. In aerobic respiration, oxygen and carbon dioxide are the main gases involved. Gas exchange is when oxygen is diffused into the bloodstream whilst carbon dioxide is released as a waste product.

Diffusion is defined as the movement of molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration. The diffusion of water molecules through a semi-permeable(selectively permeable) membrane is osmosis. Semi-permeable means that some molecules can move through the membrane while others can not. Diffusion and Osmosis are passive forms of transport requiring no energy. Active Transport utilizes energy in the form of ATP. Water is a solvent that can dissolve a number of substances more than any other substance. Wherever water goes, through the ground or a body, it takes along valuable molecules. Water’s chemical composition causes it to be attracted to many different molecules and be attracted so strongly it disrupts the forces and dissolves it. Water can pass through the semipermeable membrane without any help but can change the solution, on the other side of the cell membrane, depending on how much it diffuses in and out.

diffusion is one of the passive transport processes. it is used in oxygen entering a cell and carbon dioxide leaving a cell. diffusion is the movement of particles such as atoms or molecules from a high concentration place in an area of a low concentration. this shows that they diffuse down the concentration gradient. the concentration gradient is a gradual change in the concentration of solutes in a solution as a function of distance through a solution. in biology a gradient results from an unequal distribution of particles across the cell membrane. When this happens solutes move along the concentration gradient until the concentration of the

Gas exchange is when oxygen is delivered from the lungs to the blood stream and carbon dioxide is taken out of the bloodstream and into the lungs. Gas exchange occurs within the lungs between the alveoli and capillaries which are in the walls of the alveoli. The walls of the alveoli share a membrane with the capillaries in which oxygen and carbon dioxide move freely between the respiratory system and the bloodstream. Oxygen molecules attach to red blood cells, which travel back to the heart. At the same time, the carbon dioxide in the alveoli are exhaled out of the body.

This scientific paper investigates my hypothesis that "Higher molecular weight produce faster diffusion". Diffusion is a process of equalization which involves movement of molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration (Biology 101.1). As Thomas Graham (1831-1833) found out on his study that gases of different nature diffuse with each other, it is a challenge as to how true it

Diffusion is the movement of molecules from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration. The rate at which molecules diffuse can be determined by the relationship of molecular weight and that rate of diffusion through a membrane. Hypothesis of this experiment is that the fluid with higher molecular weight will diffuse at a slower rate and distance.

A cell needs to perform diffusion in order to survive. Substances, including water, ions, and molecules that are required for cellular activities, can enter and leave cells by a passive process such as diffusion. Diffusion is random movement of molecules in a net direction from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration order to reach equilibrium. Diffusion does not require any energy input. Diffusion is needed for basic cell functions - for example, in humans, cells obtain oxygen via diffusion from the alveoli of the lungs into the blood and in plants water

The respiratory system, also known as the ventilatory system, is a series of organs found in the human body. The system’s primary function is performing respiration – inhaling oxygen from the environment and exhaling carbon dioxide out of the body (K.M Zimmermann, 2016). Oxygen acts as fuel – without it, the body would be unable to function. Carbon dioxide, the by-product of this process, is breathed out as it is toxic to the human body when it builds up (A.M Helminstine, 2016).

The respiratory system is the process responsible for the transportation and exchange of gases into and out of the human body. As we breath in, oxygen in the air containing oxygen is drawn into the lungs through a series of air pipes known as the airway and into the lungs. As air is drawn into the lungs and waste gas excreted, it passes through the airway, first through the mouth or nose and through the pharynx, larynx and windpipe – also known as the trachea. At this point it then enters the lungs through the bronchi before finally reaching the air sacs known as alveoli. Within the lungs, through a process known as diffusion, the oxygen is transferred to the blood stream through the alveoli (air ducts) where it is then transported inside

Each single alveoli is wrapped with capillaries. Because of this, both the alveoli and capillaries are made up of a simple epithelium, which is a very thin tissue. This single layer of thin cells creates a short distance for gases to diffuse. The oxygen will then be able to move through the thin capillary walls and into the cells while the carbon dioxide passes through the thin capillary walls from the cells. The short diffusions distance allows for a rapid gas exchange. This rapid and efficient gas exchange is required so that the cells can get the energy that they need for

from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. Respiration is an example of diffusing gas molecules that takes places in the lungs. The oxygen we inhale is exchanged for carbon dioxide in tiny air sacs in the lungs called alveoli. When oxygen-depleted blood goes near the lungs, carbon dioxide diffuses into the alveoli where it is eventually removed through exhalation. At the same time, oxygen diffuses from the

epithelium, which is a very thin tissue. This single layer of thin cells creates a short distance for gases to diffuse. The oxygen will then be able to move through the thin capillary walls and into the cells while the carbon dioxide passes through the thin capillary walls from the cells. The short diffusions distance allows for a rapid gas exchange. This rapid and efficient gas exchange is required so that the cells can get the energy that they need for survival.

The membrane is also moist so that the gases can dissolve before diffusing across into the bloodstream. The concentration gradient for diffusion is maintained by cellular respiration in the cells. Insects, mammals and fish are organisms that require oxygen to survive and therefore all these organisms carry out gas exchange. Although the same process takes place; each organism has a different way of carrying it out, relating to their habitat in order to occupy a specific ecological niche that ensures for gas exchange to occur effectively.