The process of gas exchange is very important in living things as it allows the production of energy which is required in body cells in order for life process such as reproduction to take place. Oxygen and carbon dioxide are the main gases involved in this process. Gas exchange is the diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide in and out of the cells. It is essential for respiration to occur. A carbon dioxide build up in the body is extremely dangerous so this must be removed from the body. Respiration is a process which is required for living things as it removes carbon dioxide from the body and replaces it with oxygen, this being a requirement for survival.
In order for gas exchange to be efficient and effective, there must be a large surface
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These include:
Direct diffusion from the atmosphere
Wind and wave action
Photosynthesis
Of these, the process of photosynthesis (this done through aquatic plants and phytoplankton) is the most important.
Oxygen, which is derived from the process of photosynthesis, is produced during daylight hours when sunlight shines on the plants in the water. Oxygen levels will drop at night due to respiration by aquatic plants and animals (fish). These are predictable changes in dissolved oxygen levels which occur every 24 hours. This is commonly known as the diurnal oxygen cycle (diagram 1).
Diagram 1 illustrates how the dissolved oxygen concentration within water fluctuates on a 24-hour basis in a lake in which the blue cod that were used to illustrate the information gathered are located. The blue cod which are commonly seen and known in Wairarapa’s location tend to live in salt waters which would show slightly varied results. The fluctuation is referred to as a diurnal oxygen cycle. Dissolved oxygen levels are shown to increase during daylight hours when photosynthesis is occurring and decrease at night when respiration continues to occur while photosynthesis does
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During the gas exchange process, fish will open their mouths to allow water in, it will then close its mouth which forces water to travel through the gills and out through the operculum/gill cover (illustrated in diagram 3). During inspiration, the mouth opens causing muscles to lower to the floor of the buccal (mouth) cavity, as well as causing the opercula to bulge outwards. This process will increase the internal volume whilst lowering the internal water pressure located within the mouth. During this, the opercula remain closed, thus ensuring that water enters through the mouth. During expiration, the mouth will close which causes muscles to raise the floor of the buccal cavity and push the walls of the operculum inwards. This process reduces the internal volume whilst increasing the internal water pressure located within the mouth. From this point, the opercula will open causing water to be pushed out over the gill surface. This ensures that water flows through the gills in one direction, further allowing a more efficient gas exchange in comparison to if the water were to have to travel in and out the same way. This is key for the survival of the fish due to the low oxygen concentration in water. Due to the fact that water enters the gas exchange surface in the same way which food enters the fish's body, unwanted food particles are likely to be present in the water.
The majority of life on Earth depends on photosynthesis for food and oxygen. Photosynthesis is the conversion of carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates and oxygen using the sun’s light energy (Campbell, 1996). This process consists of two parts the light reactions and the Calvin cycle (Campbell, 1996). During the light reactions is when the sun’s energy is converted into ATP and NADPH, which is chemical energy (Campbell, 1996). This process occurs in the chloroplasts of plants cell. Within the chloroplasts are multiple photosynthetic pigments that absorb light from the sun (Campbell, 1996).
The circulatory system and respiratory system share a highly important relationship that is crucial to maintaining the life of an organism. In order for bodily processes to be performed, energy to be created, and homeostasis to be maintained, the exchange of oxygen from the external environment to the intracellular environment is performed by the relationship of these two systems. Starting at the heart, deoxygenated/carbon-dioxide (CO2)-rich blood is moved in through the superior and inferior vena cava into the right atrium, then into the right ventricle when the heart is relaxed. As the heart contracts, the deoxygenated blood is pumped through the pulmonary arteries to capillaries in the lungs. As the organism breathes and intakes oxygenated air, oxygen is exchanged with CO2 in the blood at the capillaries. As the organism breathes out, it expels the CO2 into the external environment. For the blood in the capillaries, it is then moved into pulmonary veins and make
When light energy is converted into chemical energy due to the presence of chloroplast, the specialised cell structure found in plants, can be described as photosynthesis. During the day, the input includes carbon dioxide, water, and light, whilst the output consists of glucose and oxygen (Encarta Encyclopaedia 2000). At night, photosynthesis stops and plant-cells consume oxygen as animal cells. Photosynthesis is the process in which plants, algae and photosynthetic bacteria converts sunlight into chemical energy through the absorption of wavelengths. The processes of photosynthesis occur in two stages of Light reaction (Light dependent) and Dark reaction (Light independent). Light reaction results in a series of electron transfers resulting
The Effect of Light Intensity on the Rate of Oxygen Production in a Plant While Photosynthesis is Taking Place
Photosynthesis is the process where plants transform light energy usually from sunlight into chemical energy and its balanced equation is 6CO2 + 6H2O –light energy----> C6H12O6 + 6O2 (Elsevier B.V.,LiveScience). Photosynthesis has major byproducts including water, glucose and starch(which is produced in the plant), and last but not least; oxygen. There are numerous amounts of plants all around the world producing CO2 necessary for human survival. However, the photosynthesis cycle is not visible which results in the plants appearing like they are not doing anything. One way to clearly prove that plants are indeed performing photosynthesis is to observe the plants giving off oxygen; which is one of the most important results of
The process of photosynthesis is present in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and is the process in which cells transform energy in the form of light from the sun into chemical energy in the form of organic compounds and gaseous oxygen (See Equation Below). In photosynthesis, water is oxidized to gaseous oxygen and carbon dioxide is reduced to glucose. Furthermore, photosynthesis is an anabolic process, or in other words is a metabolism that is associated with the construction of large molecules such as glucose. The process of photosynthesis occurs in two steps: light reactions and the Calvin cycle. The light reactions of photosynthesis take place in the thylakoid membrane and use the energy from the sun to produce ATP and NADPH2. The Calvin cycle takes place in the stroma of the chloroplast and consumes ATP and NADPH2 to reduce carbon dioxide to a sugar.
"Photosynthesis chlorophyll light intensity temperature carbon dioxide factors affecting rate." Photosynthesis chlorophyll light intensity temperature carbon dioxide factors affecting rate. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2014. .
Photosynthesis and cellular respiration help sustain life on planet earth as both are metabolic processes in their own way. Photosynthesis is the process by which plants and other organisms use energy from the sun to form glucose from water and carbon dioxide. From there, glucose is then converted to ATP by way of cellular respiration. To convert nutrients that are biochemical energy into ATP, a process such as cellular respiration that has reactions needs to take shape in the cell of an organism, releasing waste products at the same time. For the continuous energy cycle that tolerates life on Earth as we know it Photosynthesis and Cellular respiration very essential. They have a few stages where energy and various connections occur within the eukaryotic cell. Cellular respiration takes place in the lysosome, an organelle that is found in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells. It uses enzymes to break down biomolecules including proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids. Photosynthesis involves the chloroplasts, which contain pigments that absorb the sunlight and then transfigure them to sugars the plant can use. Those specific processes are crucial in how far and diversified evolution has
Cellular respiration and photosynthesis are crucial for all living things. Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are two of the most important processes living things go through. The process of these cycles, where cellular respiration and photosynthesis occur, the importance of cellular respiration and photosynthesis are all things that are very important to our society.
The lungs are a vital part of the respiratory system, a group of organs and tissues that work together to help humans breathe. The system’s main job is to move fresh air into the body while removing waste gases. Lungs are important because every cell in the body needs oxygen to live. The air we breathe contains oxygen and other gases. Once in the lungs, oxygen is moved into the bloodstream and carried throughout the human body. The bloodstream then carries the waste gas back to the lungs where it is removed from the blood stream and then exhaled. The lungs and respiratory system automatically perform this vital process, called gas exchange (American Lung Association). Lungs contain millions of air sacs called alveoli. With each breath,
Photosynthetic organisms are those who convert the sun’s energy through a process called photosynthesis. They are also referred to as autotrophs. These organisms include plants, algae, and some bacteria. These organisms take in energy from the sun and water. They then complete the steps of photosynthesis and produce oxygen and glucose. All living organisms on earth require oxygen to survive. Plants provide a continuous supply of oxygen for these organisms. Without plants, there would be less oxygen molecules present in the atmosphere, creating a potential threat to organisms that require oxygen.
The lungs helps primarily to exchange gases, the carbon dioxide byproduct produced from the body with the fresh oxygen
The photosynthetic pigments are important because they donate the electrons needed to start the sequence of reactions
Photosynthesis is a process in which plants and other organisms convert the light energy from the sun or any other source into chemical energy that can be released to fuel an organism’s activities. During this reaction, carbon dioxide and water are converted into glucose and oxygen. This process takes place in leaf cells which contain chloroplasts and the reaction requires light energy from the sun, which is absorbed by a green substance called chlorophyll. The plants absorb the water through their roots from the earth and carbon dioxide through their leaves.
Photosynthesis is a key contributor to all living things; photosynthesis provides the oxygen, food, and nutrients that help all living things stay healthy and alive. Photosynthesis converts solar energy into the chemical energy of a carbohydrate. Photosynthetic organisms, including land plants, algae, and cyanobacteria, which are called autotroph...