Edexcel GCSE Biology

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GCSEBiologyEdexcelTopic Questions8. Exchange & Transport in Animals8.3 Gas Exchange

8.3 Gas Exchange

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Figure 1 shows alveoli from a healthy lung.fig-2-1bio-2f-june18-qp-gcse-bio

Figure 1


Smoking can cause a condition called emphysema.

Figure 2 shows alveoli from a person with emphysema.fig-3-1bio-2f-june18-qp-gcse-bio

Figure 2


Use words from the box to complete the following sentences.

            breathing                   diffusion                    larger

             osmosis                     smaller                     thicker


The alveoli from the person with emphysema have a ................................ surface area than the alveoli from a healthy lung.

The surface area of the alveoli will affect how much oxygen moves into the blood by the process of .......................................

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2a
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Gas exchange relies on the process of diffusion.

Define the term diffusion.

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2b
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Figure 1 shows an alveolus (plural alveoli).

structure-of-an-alveolus

Figure 1

Explain one feature seen in Figure 1 which allows efficient gas exchange.

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2c
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Using an 'X' on Figure 1, indicate where the oxygen content of the blood is the highest.

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2d
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The estimated surface area of the lung system of a new-born baby is 4.2 m2; this is around one twentieth of the overall surface area of a typical adult's lungs.

Calculate the overall surface area of a typical adult's lungs.

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3a
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Gas exchange occurs at the alveoli

Describe how oxygen molecules move from the alveoli into the blood.

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3b
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Name the gas which moves from the capillary into the alveoli before being exhaled from the body.

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3c
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Emphysema is a disease of the lungs which results in damage to the alveoli leaving fewer, large alveoli rather than many small alveoli.

Suggest the effect this would have on the surface area of the lungs.

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3d
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Due to old air becoming trapped, the alveoli of patients with emphysema contain higher levels of carbon dioxide that the alveoli of a healthy individual.

Explain what effect this would have on gas exchange.

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3e
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A student was investigating the effect of surface area to volume ratio on cubes of agar jelly containing phenolphthalein indicator. Phenolphthalein indicator turns from pink to colourless in acidic conditions. 

The student cut the cubes into the following size.tLUz2D1F_cubes-of-jelly-sq

Complete the table by calculating the missing numbers showing the dimensions of the three cubes. 

Length of one side of the cube (cm) Surface area of cube (cm2) Volume of cube (cm3) Surface area : Volume Ratio
1 6 1 6:1
2 24 8  
3   27 2:1

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1a
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Figure 1 shows a section of an alveolus of the lungs. Certain parts and processes are labelled A-G.

q1a_gas-exchange_eexcel_gcse_biology_sqFigure 1

Identify the parts and processes involved in the function of the alveolus as shown in Figure 1. Do not write in the greyed-out boxes.

Label Part Process
A    
B    
C    
D    
E    
F    
G    

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1b
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Each adult lung is estimated to contain 520 million alveoli. 

The estimated overall surface area for gas exchange within the human breathing system is estimated to be 100 m2 (100 million mm2).

Calculate the internal surface area of one alveolus from the human breathing system.

Give your answer to an appropriate number of significant figures.

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1c
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One of the ways in which alveoli are adapted to their function is that they secrete a surfactant into the inner lining which also keeps the lining moist.

Give two reasons for secretions of this kind.

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1d
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Maintaining a high concentration is important to maximise the rate of diffusion across the alveolar surface. 

Describe and explain how a high concentration gradient is maintained between the air in the alveolar space and the blood capillaries that surround an alveolus.

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The presence of bronchioles, alveoli and blood capillaries within a lung all reduce its overall volume.

Explain how these structures actually improve the performance of the lung as a gas exchange organ. 

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2b
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Figure 1 shows three air-breathing animals that evolved at different times of history. 

q2b_gas-exchange_eexcel_gcse_biology_sqFigure 1

Place the three animals into a rank order, using the numbers 1-3, for their suggested lung surface area:volume ratios. 

Animal

SA : VOL ratio of lungs - rank order

1 = highest, 3 = lowest
Lungfish  
Gorilla  
Diplodocus  

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2c
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Figure 2 represents Fick's Law of Diffusion.

Rate space of space Diffusion space proportional to space fraction numerator Surface space Area space cross times space Concentration space Gradient over denominator Diffusion space Pathway end fraction

Figure 2

Join the boxes with straight lines to illustrate which aspect(s) of lung structure and function allows each of the three variables in Fick's Law to be optimised.  

ficks-law-adaptations---q-sketch

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2d
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Select the row of the table in Figure 3 that gives the best adaptations for an air-breathing gas exchange system. 

State a reason for your answer. 

Row Diffusion Pathway Concentration Gradient Surface Area
1 High High High
2 High Low High
3 Low High Low
4 Low High High

Figure 3

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3a
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Figure 1 shows ciliated epithelial cells from the airways of a human as seen using a light microscope.

fig-18-1bio-2f-nov2021-qp-gcse-bio

Figure 1

(i)

Draw the cell labelled A.

Label three parts of this cell on your diagram.

(4)

(ii)

State the function of the ciliated epithelial cells in the airways of the human breathing system.

(1)

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3b
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Figure 2 shows equipment used to investigate the rate of respiration in maggots.

fig-19-1bio-2f-nov2021-qp-gcse-bio

Figure 2

As the maggots respire, the drop of coloured liquid moves towards the test tube.

Figure 3 shows the position of the drop of coloured liquid after ten minutes.

fig-20-1bio-2f-nov2021-qp-gcse-bio

Figure 3

Use information from Figures 2 and 3 to calculate the mean rate of respiration of the maggots in mm per minute.

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3c
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Explain how alveoli in human lungs are adapted for gas exchange.

Include the names of the gases that are being exchanged.

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