Final answer:
Whales come to the surface to breathe because they are mammals and have lungs. Sea turtles also come to the surface to breathe by extracting oxygen from the air using specialized glands. Lungs are the respiratory organ present in all terrestrial vertebrates. Skin, mantle cavities, book lungs, and tracheal tubes are common structures involved in respiration in different animals.
Step-by-step explanation:
Whales and sea turtles come to the surface regularly to breathe because they are mammals and reptiles, respectively, and require air to survive. Mammals, including whales, have lungs to extract oxygen from the air, while reptiles, including sea turtles, have specialized glands in their throat that allow them to extract oxygen from the air as well. By coming to the surface, they can take in fresh air and exhale carbon dioxide.
Some aquatic animals, like fish, are able to extract oxygen directly from water using gills, which are specialized organs that take in dissolved oxygen from the water and release carbon dioxide. Other aquatic animals, like dolphins and whales, are mammals and have lungs like other terrestrial mammals. They are adapted to hold their breath for long periods and dive deep underwater to find food, and then come up to the surface to breathe.
In all terrestrial vertebrates, the respiratory organ present is the lungs. Lungs are responsible for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body. They are present in mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, allowing them to breathe air and extract oxygen for cellular respiration.
Skin, mantle cavities, book lungs, and tracheal tubes are all structures involved in respiration in different animals. They have the common function of facilitating the exchange of gases - oxygen and carbon dioxide - between the animal's body and the environment. For example, book lungs are found in some spiders and scorpions, and they consist of thin layers of tissue where gas exchange occurs. Tracheal tubes are present in insects and allow for the direct exchange of gases between cells and the environment.
Learn more about Respiration in aquatic and terrestrial animals