Breathing organs and habitats
Tadpole, frog and earthworm.
Water to land
A tadpole lives in water. It grows into a frog that can also sit on land.
Does it breathe in the same way all through its life?
What this lesson covers
The idea
Breathing mechanisms suit habitats: tadpoles breathe through gills, while adult frogs use lungs on land and skin for gas exchange in water, and earthworms exchange gases through their moist skin.
Water to land
A tadpole lives in water. It grows into a frog that can also sit on land.
Does it breathe in the same way all through its life?
- No, it uses different body parts at different times
- Yes, always with gills
- Yes, always with lungs
Look at four
Tap Tadpole, Frog on land, Frog in water and Earthworm.
Suited to the home
A tadpole has gills. An adult frog uses lungs on land and its skin in water. An earthworm uses its moist skin.
Breathing mechanisms suit habitats: tadpoles breathe through gills, while adult frogs use lungs on land and skin for gas exchange in water, and earthworms exchange gases through their moist skin.
- Animal | Breathes through
- Tadpole | Gills
- Adult frog on land | Lungs
- Adult frog in water | Skin
- Earthworm | Moist skin
Notes
Breathing mechanisms suit habitats: tadpoles breathe through gills, while adult frogs use lungs on land and skin for gas exchange in water, and earthworms exchange gases through their moist skin.
Check yourself
How does a tadpole breathe?
How does an adult frog breathe on land?
An adult frog stays in water. How does it exchange gases?
How does an earthworm exchange gases?
- Through gills — correct. Yes!
- Through lungs. An adult frog uses lungs on land. A tadpole uses gills.
- Through its tail. A tadpole breathes through gills.
- With gills. A tadpole has gills. An adult frog on land uses its lungs.
- With its lungs — correct. Yes!
- With its tail. An adult frog on land uses its lungs.
- Through its tail. In water an adult frog uses its skin for gas exchange.
- Through gills like a tadpole. An adult frog uses its skin in water. Gills are used by tadpoles.
- Through its skin — correct. Yes!
- Through its moist skin — correct. Yes!
- Through lungs. Earthworms use their moist skin to exchange gases.
- Through gills. Earthworms use their moist skin, not gills.