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Biological cycles essay

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A cycle is a biological pathway or process in which the end product of one cycle becomes the starting point for the next. Write an essay about cycles in biology.

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December 3, 2020
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2020/2021
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A cycle is a biological pathway or process in which the end product of one cycle becomes the

starting point for the next. Write an essay bout cycles in biology.


Cycles play a massive part in biology. In humans, the cardiac cycle is essential for maintaining life,

using oxygen from the mechanism of breathing to sustain aerobic respiration. This, in turn,

producing ATP from ADP and Pi, allowing phosphate to be incorporated into an organism biomass,

providing a starting point/product for the phosphorous cycle.


Oxygen is present in many biological cycles; aerobic respiration, photosynthesis and the mechanism

of breathing in humans. In order to receive the oxygen needed for aerobic respiration, humans must

take in oxygen from the air. This is done through the mechanism of breathing. Breathing is an active

process, requiring muscle contraction and relaxation to occur. For inspiration to occur, the external

intercostal muscles must contract, and as muscles work in pairs, the internal intercostal muscles

relax. This causes the ribs to be pulled upwards and outwards, increasing the volume of the thorax.

The diaphragm muscles also contract, causing it to flatten, further increasing the thoracic volume.

This increased volume results in a reduction of pressure in the lungs. Atmospheric pressure is now

greater than pulmonary pressure, causing air to be forced into the lungs. Once air is forced into the

lungs, oxygen diffuses across the alveoli epithelium and into the red blood cells found surrounding

the alveoli. Carbon dioxide diffuses out of the red blood cells into the alveoli, down its concentration

gradient. This carbon dioxide then leaves to leave the lungs so the cycle can restart. The external

intercostal muscles relax and the internal intercostal muscles contract. This pulls the ribcage down

and in, increasing thoracic pressure. The diaphragm also relaxes, so is pushed up against the

contents of the abdomen, further increasing the thoracic pressure. Atmospheric pressure is then less

than pulmonary pressure, resulting in air being forced out of the lungs. The cycle then starts again,

meaning the lungs are ventilated to maintain a steep concentration gradient of oxygen into the red

blood cells and carbon dioxide out of them. During normal breathing, the recoil of elastic tissue in

the lungs is the main cause of air being forced out. This is known as passive breathing. When

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