Water breathing is more problematic than air breathing because :i. wat...
Water breathing is more problematic than air breathing b'coz water is thicker than air.
Water breathing is more problematic than air breathing because :i. wat...
Water breathing is more problematic than air breathing because:
i. Water is 800 times more dense and hence holds much more oxygen than air does.
ii. Since oxygen dissolved in water diffuses far more slowly than air, therefore a large quantity of water is required to be passed over the gills.
Explanation:
Water breathing, or respiration through gills, is the method used by fish and other aquatic organisms to extract oxygen from water. This process is more challenging compared to air breathing for the following reasons:
i. Water is 800 times more dense and hence holds much more oxygen than air does:
- The density of water is significantly higher than that of air. This means that a given volume of water contains a much larger amount of oxygen compared to the same volume of air.
- Fish gills are specialized structures that extract oxygen from the surrounding water. However, due to the high density of water, fish need to extract a larger amount of oxygen to meet their metabolic demands.
- This higher oxygen requirement necessitates more efficient respiratory mechanisms and adaptations in aquatic organisms.
ii. Oxygen dissolved in water diffuses far more slowly than air, requiring a large quantity of water to be passed over the gills:
- Oxygen molecules dissolved in water diffuse at a slower rate compared to oxygen molecules in air. This is because the diffusion of gases is inversely proportional to the square root of the molecular weight of the gas and directly proportional to the solubility of the gas in the medium.
- Oxygen diffusion in water is slower due to its higher density and lower solubility compared to air. As a result, aquatic organisms require a larger surface area for gas exchange to extract sufficient oxygen from water.
- Fish gills provide a large surface area for gas exchange, enabling efficient extraction of oxygen from the surrounding water. However, a significant volume of water needs to be continuously passed over the gills to ensure an adequate oxygen supply.
In summary, water breathing is more problematic than air breathing due to the higher density of water, which holds much more oxygen, and the slower diffusion of oxygen in water, which requires a larger volume of water to be passed over the gills for efficient respiration. Therefore, statement i) is incorrect, and statement ii) is correct.
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