BRAINCAKEThe Human Gas Exchange System
Humans like other mammals are aerobic organisms that need a constant supply of oxygen and need carbon dioxide constantly removed from the body as the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the body would be harmful.
They are relatively large organisms with a small surface area to volume ratio. They have a high metabolic rate and also need to maintain their body temperature.
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Key terms in this lesson
- surface area to volume ratio
- The ratio of an organism's or structure's external surface area to its total volume, which decreases as size increases.
- alveolus
- A tiny, thin-walled air sac in the lungs, surrounded by capillaries, that is the site of gas exchange.
More in Exchange of Gases
- Gas Exchange in Leaves
- Stomata
- Limiting Water Loss in Insects
- Limiting Water Loss in Plants
- The Lungs
- Mechanism of Breathing
- Inspiration
- Expiration
All 28 lessons in Exchange of Gases · All AQA AS-level Biology topics