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Gills and lungs are often compared for their efficiency in humans. Air enters through the mouth or nose, moving into the nasal cavity and passing through the pharynx where air and food intersect. Despite the risk of choking, the pharynx allows for breathing during exercise and respiration through the mouth if the nose is closed. The epiglottis opens to allow air into the glottis, passing through the larynx (voice box). Air then travels to the trachea where cilia clean it by trapping viruses, dust, and other unwanted materials in mucus.
The mucus is transported up the trachea to the pharynx and then directed to the digestive system.
The trachea divides into bronchi, which branch out into bronchioles.
These bronchioles connect to alveoli surrounded by capillaries for oxygen diffusion into the bloodstream. Breathing is aided by the diaphragm contracting to create negative pressure in the lungs, drawing air in. Exhalation occurs when the diaphragm relaxes and muscles contract, forcing air out. Air taken in through the nose is moistened and warmed as it travels into the lungs.
Fish face a unique breathing challenge compared to land animals.
They must extract enough oxygen from water, which contains less oxygen than air, using their gills.
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The opening and closing of fish's gills is controlled by the movement of their mouth and opercula. The gills consist of filaments arranged into lamellae and are crucial for the fish's respiration.
The lamellae contain capillaries that use countercurrent flow to efficiently absorb oxygen from the water. This unique mechanism allows the blood to move in the opposite direction of the water, resulting in maximum oxygen absorption.
If the blood flowed in the same direction as the water, only half of the available oxygen would be absorbed.
Thanks to countercurrent flow, fish can absorb an impressive 80 to 90 percent of oxygen present in the surrounding water.
Both fish and humans have similar respiratory processes in terms of needing humid air and having capillaries on an air sac for oxygen absorption through diffusion.
The respiratory systems of humans and fish differ in several ways. Humans have lungs, while fish have gills. In humans, air sacs known as alveoli are used, whereas fish have lamellae. Unlike humans, fish are unable to make their air moist. Fish utilize countercurrent to absorb 80 to 90 percent of oxygen from the air, a method not used by humans who absorb only 25 percent.
Lungs are more efficient than gills because they absorb oxygen better and use less energy. This is because air contains more oxygen than water. Lungs only require 1 to 2 percent of an organism's energy, whereas gills need 25 percent.
Amphibians are animals that can thrive in both land and water habitats.
Amphibians have two ways of breathing. One way is through the mouth or nostrils, where air goes into the trachea and then divides into two bronchi that lead to the lungs. Another way amphibians respire is through their skin with the help of mucus produced by glands on their bodies. During winter, they burrow in mud and depend on skin respiration alone. To inhale air, amphibians use positive pressure by shutting their nostrils and lowering the floor of their mouths, which pushes air into their lungs.
Both Amphibians and Humans share similarities in their respiratory systems, including trachea, bronchi, and lungs. They both use negative pressure for breathing. However, a key difference is that amphibians have the ability to breathe through their skin as well. Amphibians close their nostrils and lower the floor of their mouth to inhale air into their lungs, while humans lower the diaphragm and engage muscles for respiration.
Humans have a more efficient respiratory system compared to frogs, who depend on their environment for breathing. Amphibians need a wet habitat because they breathe mostly through their skin, while animals with lungs do not rely on their surroundings for respiration.
Birds have a distinctive respiratory system, which includes the nares (nostrils), nasal cavity, larynx, trachea leading to the syrinx. The trachea then divides into two passages that lead to the posterior air sacs. From there, a small amount of air travels through the caudal air sacs to reach the lungs. Birds have a unique breathing pattern where they inhale and exhale twice to circulate air within their bodies. During exhalation, air moves from the posterior air sacs through ventrobronchi and dorsobronchi into the lungs. The dorsobronchi further divides into air capillaries where gas exchange occurs between oxygen and carbon dioxide with blood capillaries.
When the bird takes its second breath, the air enters the cranial air sacs. During exhalation, the air passes through the cranial air sacs, then through the syrinx into the trachea, larynx, nasal cavity, and out of the nostril. Birds do not have a diaphragm, so airflow is controlled by pressure changes in their air sacs as chest muscles push the sternum outward. This process creates a vacuum in the air sacs that allows for inhalation. Both birds and humans share similarities in their respiratory systems such as nostrils, nasal cavity, larynx, trachea, and lungs. In both species, breathing occurs due to negative pressure. Furthermore,both birds and humans have blood capillaries that aid in gas exchange within sac-like structures.
Both birds and humans have their own unique respiratory systems. Birds have syrinx and air sacs while humans do not. Birds require two breaths to move air in and out of their bodies, whereas humans only need one breath. Additionally, birds have more chambers in their respiratory system compared to humans. When it comes to breathing, birds contract muscles to move their sternum while humans use the diaphragm and contract ribs and muscles. Oxygen enters the circulatory system through air capillaries in birds and alveoli in humans.
Humans have a more efficient respiratory system compared to birds. The bird's respiratory system is not only slower but also takes more time. In the time it takes for a human to inhale and exhale twice, a bird has only done it once.
When comparing gills and lungs, it is clear that lungs are the more efficient organ. Gills can absorb 80 to 90 percent of oxygen from water, using 25 percent of the organisms' energy. However, when comparing the oxygen levels in water and air of the same volume, it is found that water only has 3 percent of the oxygen that is present in air. In contrast, lungs absorb 25 percent oxygen from the air, making them more efficient at oxygen absorption. Animals with lungs only use 1 to 2 percent of their energy in respiration. Therefore, lungs are more efficient than gills.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
References:
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=15+1829&aid=2721
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/499513/respiration/66211/Amphibians
Cliffs Ap biology 3rd Edition by Philip E. Pack, Ph.D.
Deborah T. Goldberg, M.S. is the author of Barron's AP Biology 2nd Edition.
The author of the book "Biology" is Sylvia S. Mader, and it is in its 6th edition.
Efficiency of Lungs vs. Gills: A Comparative Analysis. (2016, Jul 29). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/the-pathway-of-air-in-amphibians-birds-fish-and-humans-essay
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