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The Respiratory System

Gas exchange, partial pressure and diffusion

  • 3 things to know
  • Component 1

Overview

Partial pressure and diffusion, external and internal respiration, oxygen and carbon dioxide gradients at the alveoli and the muscles, how each gas is carried, the oxyhaemoglobin dissociation curve, the Bohr shift and the a-vO₂ difference.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

Where do external and internal respiration take place, and why does oxygen enter the blood at the lungs?

Key term

What is partial pressure?

Key term

Define diffusion.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What is partial pressure?

    Model answer

    Partial pressure is the pressure one gas exerts within a mixture of gases. Each gas diffuses from where its partial pressure is high to where it is low.

  2. 2

    Define diffusion.

    Model answer

    Diffusion is the net movement of gas molecules from an area of high partial pressure to an area of low partial pressure.

  3. 3

    What is external respiration?

    Model answer

    External respiration is gas exchange between the alveoli and the blood in the pulmonary capillaries.

  4. 4

    What is internal respiration?

    Model answer

    Internal respiration is gas exchange between the blood in the tissue capillaries and the muscle cells.

  5. 5

    Why does oxygen diffuse from the alveoli into the blood?

    Model answer

    The partial pressure of oxygen in the alveoli is about 100 mmHg, against about 40 mmHg in the returning blood. Oxygen diffuses down this gradient into the blood.

  6. 6

    Why does carbon dioxide diffuse from the blood into the alveoli?

    Model answer

    Blood arriving at the lungs has a carbon dioxide partial pressure of about 45 mmHg, against about 40 mmHg in the alveoli. Carbon dioxide diffuses down the gradient into the alveoli.

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