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Edexcel Biology GCSE - Gas Exchange in Animals Part 3

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This deck covers key concepts related to gas exchange in animals, focusing on diffusion, Fick's Law, and adaptations of exchange surfaces.

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How concentration difference (concentration gradient) effects the rate of diffusion.

Diffusion is faster if there is a big difference in the concentration between the area the substance travels from and the area that it is moving to.
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Key Terms

Term
Definition
How concentration difference (concentration gradient) effects the rate of diffusion.
Diffusion is faster if there is a big difference in the concentration between the area the substance travels from and the area that it is moving to.
How surface area effects the rate of diffusion.
The larger the surface area the higher the number of particles that will be able to move in a given time so the faster the rate.

Factors affecting the rate of diffusion Alveoli
Need for fast diffusion in animals

Alveoli in the lungs, fish gills and the villi in the small intestine are adapted so that they have short diffusion distance, big concentration di...

Ficks law | explanation
Fick's Law describes the relationship between the rate of diffusion and the three factors that affect diffusion. It states that 'the rate of diffusion...
Ficks law
Rate of diffusion is directly proportional to : | (surface area x concentration gradient) ÷ thickness of membrane.
The rate of diffusion will double if:
1) Surface area or concentration difference is doubled or | 2) Thickness of the exchange membrane is halved.
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Edexcel Biology GCSE - Gas Exchange in Animals Part 3
TermDefinition
How concentration difference (concentration gradient) effects the rate of diffusion.
Diffusion is faster if there is a big difference in the concentration between the area the substance travels from and the area that it is moving to.
How surface area effects the rate of diffusion.
The larger the surface area the higher the number of particles that will be able to move in a given time so the faster the rate.

Factors affecting the rate of diffusion Alveoli
Need for fast diffusion in animals

Alveoli in the lungs, fish gills and the villi in the small intestine are adapted so that they have short diffusion distance, big concentration difference and large surface area. This means that they are adapted to have a rapid rate of diffusion. This is important for the survival of animals because they need to obtain as much oxygen, sugar and amino acids to meet the needs of metabolism and they need to expel waste substances such as urea as quickly as possible.

Ficks law | explanation
Fick's Law describes the relationship between the rate of diffusion and the three factors that affect diffusion. It states that 'the rate of diffusion is proportional to both the surface area and concentration difference and is inversely proportional to the thickness of the membrane'.
Ficks law
Rate of diffusion is directly proportional to : | (surface area x concentration gradient) ÷ thickness of membrane.
The rate of diffusion will double if:
1) Surface area or concentration difference is doubled or | 2) Thickness of the exchange membrane is halved.
Why is diffusion very fast across membranes
All of the exchange surfaces consist of cell membranes which are very thin.
Q. The cell membrane has a thickness of 10 nm. Describe what happens to the rate of diffusion of oxygen into the cell if the thickness changes to 20 nm.
The rate of diffusion will halve.
Gas exchange in animals | topic summary
For an organism to function, substances must move into and out of cells. Three processes contribute to this movement – diffusion, osmosis and active transport.
What happens during gas exchange in the lungs?
Oxygen passes into the blood and carbon dioxide passes out of the blood.
A cube has sides with a length of 4 cm. What is its surface area to volume ratio?
It's surface area is 96 cm2 and volume is 64 cm3. 96/64 = 1.5:1.
What are the tiny air sacs in the lungs called?
Alveoli
Which features do exchange surfaces have?
Exchange surfaces have a large surface area and short diffusion distance.
How are leaves adapted for effective gas exchange?
Leaves have a thin, flat shape, which increases their surface area.
What is ventilation?
Ventilation is the movement of air into and out of the lungs.