Introduction
1. a. Describe the respiratory system role with oxygen and carbon dioxide.
The respiratory system is responsible for the movement of gases involved in cellular metabolism.
b. Why is oxygen needed? Oxygen is needed because it is used up during the aerobic breakdown of glucose.
c. What generates CO2? Carbon dioxide arises from the aerobic metabolism of glucose .
2. Define the three important continuous physiological processes that are responsible for the movement of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Ventilation - This is the movement of gases between the lungs and the atmosphere.
Gas Exchange –this is the movement of gases into and out of the bloodstream. This occurs at the lungs and at the tissues.
Gas Transport – This is the movement of gases via the blood stream to the organs and tissues of the body.
Gas Exchange
3. Explain the correlation between gas pressure and concentration.
The direction that a gas moves is dependent on the concentration of that gas. A gas within a compartment exerts a pressure, which is proportional to the concentration of that gas. More gas molecules exert a greater pressure. gas molecules will move down a gradient from higher pressure to lower pressure.
4. a. Define partial pressure.
Each gas in a mixture of gases exerts its own pressure. The individual pressure of each gas
In a mixture is called the partial pressure of that gas..
b. Describe how partial pressure determines movement of specific gas molecules in a mixture.
A gas moves along the part of the pressure gradient determined by its own concentration. Gas molecules will move from higher concentrations to lower concentrations.
c. Why would oxygen diffuse into this blood vessel while carbon dioxide diffuses out? Oxygen diffuses into the blood vessels because the