Typical Answer- Exchange

1) Questions on gas exchange in cells/small organisms

- Rate of diffusion depends on surface area
- Small organisms have large surface area to volume ratio, which increases the rate of
diffusion
- All parts of organism are only a short distance from exchange surface

2) Questions on gas exchange in insects

- Air enters through open spiracles
- Through tracheae
- There is a diffusion gradient in the trachea
- The tracheae is closely associated with all cells
- Oxygen diffuses into cells down the concentration gradient
- Ventilation occurs to replace air in the tracheae
- The insect body is covered with a waterproof waxy layer/cuticle;
- Spiracles are able to close

3) How do you investigate stomata density?

- Thin sections of leaf to allow more light to pass through so individual cells can be
seen, not layers.
- Use stage graticule/clear ruler to calculate area of the field of view and calibrate for
magnification.
- Count the number of stomata
- seen in a number of different fields of view at same magnification
- Choose fields of view at random to reduce bias, make mean more reliable and make
it more representative.
- Calculate mean by sum of stomata ÷ number of fields of view.
- Units e.g. mean number of stomata per mm2 or per µm2
4) Explain how xerophytes are adapted for survival

5) Describe the process of breathing

- contraction of (diaphragm) muscles flattens diaphragm;
- contraction of intercostal muscles raises ribcage;
- increase in volume decreases pressure;

6) Explain how mammals are adapted for gas exchange

- Many alveoli/alveoli walls folded provide a large surface area;
- Many capillaries provide a large surface area so fast diffusion can occur
- Alveoli and bllod capillary walls/epithelium/lining are thin/only one cell thick
so there is a short distance between the alveoli and the blood (Reject: thin
membranes/cell walls)
- Flattened/squamous epithelial cells
- So there is a short diffusion pathway so fast diffusion can occur
- Ventilation occurs
- Which maintains a diffusion/concentration gradient so fast diffusion can occur
7) Absorption of molecules across the cell surface membrane
- Facilitated diffusion occurs from a high to a low
concentration/down concentration gradient (reject
across/along/with concentration gradient)
- Small / non-polar / lipid-soluble molecules pass through the
phospholipid bilayer
- Large / polar / water-soluble molecules go through proteins
- Water moves by osmosis from a high water potential
to low water potential
- Active transport is movement from a low to a high concentration
against concentration gradient
- Active transport and facilitated diffusion involves proteins/carriers
(Accept: facilitated diffusion involves channels but Reject: active
transport involves channels)
- Active transport requires energy/ATP
- Na+ and glucose are involved in co-transport;
- Molecules can be imported/exported from the cell by
endo/exocytosis