Respiratory
A system in which a series of organs are responsible for taking in oxygen (O2) and then expelling carbon dioxide (CO2).
In humans, the resiratory system is a very important system, because it is the system that allows are bodies to breath. The oxygen we breath, is the chemical that allows your our cells and organs vto make use of the energy in the food you eat. Overall, every chemical reaction in our body depends on oxygen. Without oxygen, metabollically active cells shut down and begin to die within minutes. If either your heart or your brain loses oxygen for even a few minutes, the consequences are severe and often fatal (Bozzone, Green 344).
The primary organs used of the respiratory system are the lungs, which take in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. Red blood cells collect the oxygen from the lungs and carry it to the parts of the body where it is needed. During the process, the red blood cells collect the carbon dioxide and transport it back to the lungs, where it leaves the body when we exhale (Zimmerman).
The primary organs used of the respiratory system are the lungs, which take in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. Red blood cells collect the oxygen from the lungs and carry it to the parts of the body where it is needed. During the process, the red blood cells collect the carbon dioxide and transport it back to the lungs, where it leaves the body when we exhale (Zimmerman).
Our lungs consists of two large sacs: the left one, divided into two compartments, and the right one, divided into three. These lobes are connected to a network of branched airways starting with our trachea (windpipe that leads into our lungs). Oxygen enters your bloodstream across the surface of the alveoli, and carbon dioxide leaves the same way. Like the circulatory system, this system needs a pump. The respiratory pump is made up of our ribs and the muscles attached them along with our diaphragm. This large circular sheet of muscle separates your chest from our lower abdomen. Taken together, our ribs and diaphragm for, the chest cavity, a hollow compartment that contains your lungs and heart. The respiratory pump works by changing the volume of our chest cavity. When the cavity increases in volume, our lungs expand to fill the extra space. This expansion draws in air. When the chest cavity compresses, the lungs compress as well, squeezing air out (Green, Bozzone 355).
Gas exchange takes place in the capillaries, so the alveoli are closely aligned with the network of capillaries. This brings the blood carrying waste products into close enough proximity with fresh air for diffusion to take place. The waste is removed and the oxygen is taken up by the blood. The blood is able to carry the fresh oxygen in red blood cells because of the hemoglobin protein, which can attach oxygenmolecules. Think of hemoglobin like a bus that carries oxygen passengers. Each hemoglobin protein can carry four passengers of oxygen at one time (Shmoop).
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To compare a mammals respiratory system to a non-mammalian we will use a tailed frog.
- The frog has three respiratory surfaces on its body that it uses to exchange gas with the surroundings: the skin, in the lungs and on the lining of the mouth.
- While completely submerged all of the frog's respiration takes place through the skin. The skin is composed of thin membranous tissue that is quite permeable to water and contains a large network of blood vessels. The thin membranous skin is allows the respiratory gases to readily diffuse directly down their gradients between the blood vessels and the surroundings. When the frog is out of the water, mucus glands in the skin keep the frog moist, which helps absorb dissolved oxygen from the air.
- A frog may also breathe much like a human, by taking air in through their nostrils and down into their lungs. The mechanism of taking air into the lungs is however sligthly different than in humans. Frogs do not have ribs nor a diaphragm, which in humans helps serve in expand the chest and thereby decreasing the pressure in the lungs allowing outside air to flow in.
- Frogs also have a respiratory surface on the lining of their mouth on which gas exchange takes place readily. While at rest, this process is their predominate form of breathing, only fills the lungs occasionally. This is because the lungs, which only adults have, are poorly developed (Brown).
References:
Zimmermann, Kim. "Respiratory System: Facts, Function and Diseases." LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 22 Aug. 2012. Web. 25 May 2014"
Frog Respiration ." . Brown, n.d. Web. 26 May 2014.
Shmoop Editorial Team. "Animal Respiration - Shmoop Biology."Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 26 May 2014.
"Poison Dart Frogs, Poison Dart Frog Pictures, Poison Dart Frog Facts - National Geographic." National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 May 2014
Zimmermann, Kim. "Respiratory System: Facts, Function and Diseases." LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 22 Aug. 2012. Web. 25 May 2014"
Frog Respiration ." . Brown, n.d. Web. 26 May 2014.
Shmoop Editorial Team. "Animal Respiration - Shmoop Biology."Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 26 May 2014.
"Poison Dart Frogs, Poison Dart Frog Pictures, Poison Dart Frog Facts - National Geographic." National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 May 2014