Respiration in organisms (Breathing in other Animals-04)

Summary

This script explores the diverse ways in which animals breathe, highlighting the unique respiratory systems of different species. From mammals like elephants and lions that breathe through lungs, to insects like cockroaches that use spiracles and trachea, the video showcases various adaptations. It also discusses earthworms and frogs, which breathe through their skin, and how frogs can even switch between skin and lung respiration. The script touches on the aquatic breathing of fish, using gills to extract oxygen from water. The core message is that while all animals breathe oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide, their methods vary greatly.

Takeaways

• 😀 Elephants, lions, cows, goats, lizards, frogs, snakes, and birds all breathe using lungs, like humans.
• 😀 Some creatures, like cockroaches, breathe differently by using spiracles and trachea instead of lungs.
• 😀 Cockroaches' spiracles are openings on the sides of their bodies that lead to a network of air tubes called trachea.
• 😀 Oxygen-rich air flows through cockroaches' spiracles into tracheal tubes, reaching all body cells.
• 😀 Carbon dioxide from cockroaches' cells exits through the spiracles after gas exchange in the tracheal tubes.
• 😀 Earthworms breathe through their skin, which feels moist and slimy to the touch, allowing gas exchange.
• 😀 Frogs have lungs for breathing, but they can also breathe through their moist, slippery skin, especially during hibernation.
• 😀 In the case of tadpoles (baby frogs), they use gills to breathe in water, similar to how fish breathe.
• 😀 Fish breathe through gills, which allow them to extract oxygen from water, aided by blood vessels for gas exchange.
• 😀 Dolphins and whales, although mammals, surface to breathe air and release carbon dioxide when coming up from the water.
• 😀 While breathing methods vary across species, all organisms breathe in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide.

Q & A

How do most animals breathe, and what common characteristic do they share?

Most animals, like elephants, lions, cows, goats, lizards, frogs, snakes, and birds, breathe through their lungs, which are located in their chest cavities. The common characteristic they share is that they inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide, similar to humans.

How do cockroaches breathe?

Cockroaches breathe through small openings on the sides of their bodies called spiracles. These openings lead to a network of air tubes called trachea, which transport oxygen-rich air into the body and remove carbon dioxide.

What is unique about the tracheal system in cockroaches?

The tracheal system, consisting of spiracles and tracheal tubes, is unique to insects. These tubes allow gas exchange directly with body tissues, helping oxygen reach all cells in the insect’s body.

How do earthworms breathe?

Earthworms breathe through their skin. Their skin is moist and allows gases to pass through it, facilitating the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.

How do frogs breathe?

Frogs have lungs for breathing like humans, but they can also breathe through their skin, which is moist and helps exchange gases. During hibernation, their skin takes over the function of their lungs when they are underground.

How do tadpoles breathe?

Tadpoles breathe through gills, similar to fish. These gills allow them to extract oxygen from water, which is essential for their survival during their aquatic stage.

Why can't humans breathe underwater, but fish can?

Humans cannot breathe underwater because we lack gills, which are specialized for extracting oxygen from water. Fish, however, have gills that allow them to breathe underwater by absorbing dissolved oxygen.

How do fish breathe underwater?

Fish breathe through their gills, which are projections of the skin that are well-supplied with blood vessels. These blood vessels facilitate the exchange of gases, allowing fish to absorb oxygen from water.

Why do dolphins and whales surface to breathe?

Dolphins and whales are mammals that rely on lungs for breathing, so they must surface to inhale air. When they do, they often release a fountain of water, which is the expulsion of carbon dioxide.

What is the common factor in all animals' respiration systems?

Despite the diversity of respiratory systems across species, all animals breathe in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide, highlighting a shared biological process.