Water loss during air breathing, Biology

Assignment Help:

Water loss during air breathing

You have learnt that water is lost through the respiratory surface. In the terrestrial vertebrates the evaporative loss is reduced, because the respiratory surface in them (the lungs) is internal to the body cavity. Even within the lungs ventilation of the respiratory epithelium by unsaturated air will cause evaporation of the moisture wetting the epithelial surface. In birds and mammals such evaporative loss is enhanced because of the difference between the body temperature and ambient temperature.

1463_Water loss during air breathing.png

Figure:  Temporal countercurrent system

Warmer air can hold more moisture when saturated than cool air. Since the expired air is warmer than the inspired air, water is lost during expiration. In a number of vertebrates the respiratory loss of water is minimised through a mechanism known as temporal countercurrent system. During inspiration cool air entering the lungs via nasal passage gets warmed by the heat of the nasal passage and absorbs moisture from the respiratory epithelium of the lungs. During expiration, the same air loses most of the heat it gained earlier as it warms the cool nasal passage on its way out. As the expired air gives up some of its heat to the tissue of the nasal passage, most-of the moisture acquired from the respiratory epithelium condenses on the cool nasal epithelium. With the next inhalation, this condensed moisture again contributes to the humidification of the inspired air, and the cycle is repeated.


Related Discussions:- Water loss during air breathing

What is large intestine in human biology, What is Large Intestine in human ...

What is Large Intestine in human biology? Food undigested in the small intestine is passed on by peristalsis into the large intestine, or colon. The intestine is composed of ci

Self - medication, SELF - MEDICATION - Self medication refers to the us...

SELF - MEDICATION - Self medication refers to the use of medicines without consulting a physician. Self medication may be harmful, rather dangerous. It must be avoided. (i)

Explain control function of organic molecules, What are some examples of th...

What are some examples of the control and informative function of organic molecules? Based on genetic information, organic molecules control the whole work of the cell. The nuc

Biological challenges, Biology is becoming a more quantitative science, a t...

Biology is becoming a more quantitative science, a trend that has motivated and been recently spurred by advances in computing power and data-gathering technologies. Nowhere is th

Airway management - respiratory failure, Airway Management To improve...

Airway Management To improved ventilation, suctioning, IPPB, Ultrasonic mist therapy and postural drainage with clapping and vibrating are all employed to halt the progress o

What is the energy efficiency of photosynthesis, What is the energy efficie...

What is the energy efficiency of photosynthesis? a) What area is occupied by each molecule? b) Calculate the molecular absorption cross section in units of A 2   A cr

Determine inharmonious intraspecific ecological interaction, Why is canniba...

Why is cannibalism an inharmonious intraspecific ecological interaction? In cannibalism an individual eats other of the same species (occurs in some insects and arachnids). Sin

How dynamic biological processes represented as network, How dynamic biolog...

How dynamic biological processes represented as network? Many dynamic biological processes throughout a wide range of ecological scales are easily represented as dynamical netw

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd