This essay deeply explores the ideas surrounding gas exchange, mainly focusing on anatomy and the science of it. The human body’s respiratory system is composed of the lower and upper respiratory system and allows for different vital functions to occur. The lower respiratory system is mainly composed of the larynx, trachea, bronchi and alveoli-containing bronchioles (Brooker, R., Widmaier, E., Graham, L. and Stiling, P., 2018). One of its most important functions is providing a vast surface area that is needed for the exchange of carbon dioxide in our blood and oxygen from the air. This, together with other factors presented by Fick’s Law, provide the features of the lower respiratory system, making it ideal for efficient gas exchange. The respiratory system can be split into two sections- the conducting and the respiratory zone. Whilst the conducting zone involves all the parts leading up to gas exchange, the respiratory zone is where gas exchange occurs (Kumar, V., 2016). It is the lower respiratory system that will be examined in more depth within this essay to explain how its structure allows for its functionality and how things can sometimes go wrong. This essay should be used as a source or motivation and CANNOT be copied as this will be COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT.

This essay covers the scientific and ethical points surrounding the topic of editing genomes. Since the 1960s, there has been an increasing possibility of editing the genes of both born and unborn humans. (Hayden, E, 2018) Doing this involves removing or targeting a specific gene or selection of genes within an organism, changing their codes to produce an advantageous characteristic or phenotype, and inserting them back into the organism. This has since been vastly improved, and with the introduction of the likes of CRISPR-Cas9, scientists have become more adept at carrying out such experiments more quickly, accurately and at a lower cost. However, such new techniques and experiments have led to the public posing questions about the ethical complications, advantages and disadvantages of making editing our children’s genomes a readily available process. This essay is fully referenced and can be used as motivation but should NOT be submitted as your own as this is copyright infringement. ENJOY!

A great GCSE worksheet covering questions that cover every single specification from Topic 8 –Exchange and Transport in Animals. PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW AND SHARE!