1.

1 THE IMPORTANCE OF
HAVING A TRANSPORT
SYSTEM IN SOME
MULTICELLULAR
ORGANISMS

BY
SHAHSHILAN
RAVI AND THE
OTHER
PEOPLE

1. Every living organism

constantly needs the exchange
of substances such as
nutrients, waste products,
and respiratory gases with
the environment in order to
survive and grow.

2. The exchange of substances

between the organism and its
environment usually takes place
through diffusion.

3. The exchanges of substances

occurs rapidly if :
a) The surface area of the
organism in contact with the
environment is large.
b) The total surface
area/volume ratio (TSA/V) of
the organism is large.

c) The volume of the organism is

small.
d) The distance between the
source of the substances and
the body cell is near.
e) A high concentration
gradient is maintained between
the source and the body cells.

TOTAL SURFACE AREA TO VOLUME

RATIO

1. a) Unicellular organism such as

Amoeba sp. And Paramecium
sp. Obtain substances via
diffusion through the cell
surface.

b) They do not face any

problems in obtaining their cellular
requirements through diffusion
because the volume of the body is
very small. As a result, the total
surface area/volume ration is very
high.

c) Therefore, nutrients and

oxygen can diffuse across the cell
surface to reach the inside of the
cell easily. Similarly, was products
can be rapidly removed from the
cell through simple diffusion.

2.However, in large multicellular

organisms, diffusion alone cannot
ensure a constant supply of
oxygen and nutrients to cells
because
a)The total surface area/volume
ratio of the organism is too
small.

b) The distance between the

source of substances and the
cell of the organisms is too far
from the environment for a
direct exchange tot take place
efficiently.

3. Therefore, multicellular
organisms need to overcome
the problem of obtaining their
cellular requirements and in
getting rid of their waste
products.

4. They overcome this by having a

circulatory system to carry out
a) The distribution of nutrients
and oxygen throughout the body.
b) The removal of waste products
from the body.