Respiratory System:
The respiratory system of the shark as well as every animal is to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide with the environment. Sharks do this in a unique way but the end product will be the same. You may be wondering how do sharks get oxygen in the ocean because they can't get oxygen from the air. Sharks get the oxygen from the water since water is made up of oxygen and hydrogen. Sharks most of the time get this oxygen and get rid of the carbon dioxide in a process called ram jet. This is when the shark is swimming with its mouth open and forces water in. The water goes through the throat and out the gills. This fast motion and fast way of getting oxygen allows the gills of the shark to only extract little bits of oxygen from the passing water. Another way the shark can have water pass through its body and out the gill slits is through many muscle contractions. The contractions of the throat and branchial muscles help water get in and get out through the gills in a sequence of front-to-back contractions. The actual site of gas exchange in the gill slits are called lamellae. In each lamella there are arties that carry blood back up the body which is going against the way the water is going through the body. This flow between the blood and the water going in opposite directions leads into diffusion of carbon dioxide out of the sharks blood and respiratory track and oxygen in. This unique respiratory system that the sharks have aquired or have is very important to their way of life and where they live. This system is perfect for the marine environment and perfect for their fast and constant swimming lifestyle.
The respiratory system of the shark as well as every animal is to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide with the environment. Sharks do this in a unique way but the end product will be the same. You may be wondering how do sharks get oxygen in the ocean because they can't get oxygen from the air. Sharks get the oxygen from the water since water is made up of oxygen and hydrogen. Sharks most of the time get this oxygen and get rid of the carbon dioxide in a process called ram jet. This is when the shark is swimming with its mouth open and forces water in. The water goes through the throat and out the gills. This fast motion and fast way of getting oxygen allows the gills of the shark to only extract little bits of oxygen from the passing water. Another way the shark can have water pass through its body and out the gill slits is through many muscle contractions. The contractions of the throat and branchial muscles help water get in and get out through the gills in a sequence of front-to-back contractions. The actual site of gas exchange in the gill slits are called lamellae. In each lamella there are arties that carry blood back up the body which is going against the way the water is going through the body. This flow between the blood and the water going in opposite directions leads into diffusion of carbon dioxide out of the sharks blood and respiratory track and oxygen in. This unique respiratory system that the sharks have aquired or have is very important to their way of life and where they live. This system is perfect for the marine environment and perfect for their fast and constant swimming lifestyle.