1.2 The Respiratory System Flashcards

1
Q

Put simply, what is the function of respiration?

A

To intake oxygen and remove carbon dioxide.

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2
Q

Describe the passage of air from the atmosphere into the lungs.

A
Nose;
Larynx;
Trachea;
Bronchi;
Bronchioles;
Alveoli.
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3
Q

What process is responsible for the exchange of gases between the blood and the alveoli?

A

Diffusion.

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4
Q

What is diffusion?

A

The movement of gas molecules from an area of high partial pressure (high concentration) to an area of low partial pressure (low concentration).

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5
Q

How is the structure of alveoli adapted for gaseous exchange?

A

Very thin cell walls (one cell thick);
Dense capillary network;
Large surface area (:volume ratio).

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6
Q

What is gaseous exchange?

A

The movement of oxygen from the air to the blood and carbon dioxide from the blood into the air.

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7
Q

There is a space between the two lungs in diagrams, what occupies this space?

A

The heart.

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8
Q

During inhalation, what is the pressure of air in the lungs relative to the pressure of the atmosphere?

A

Pressure is lesser than external air, meaning air rushes into the lungs due to the concentration gradient.

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9
Q

During exhalation, what is the pressure of air in the lungs relative to the pressure of the atmosphere?

A

Pressure is greater than external air, meaning air rushes out of the lungs due to the concentration gradient.

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10
Q

What effect will increasing the thoracic cavity have on concentration of air in the lungs?

A

Decreased pressure.

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11
Q

What effect will decreasing the thoracic cavity have on concentration of air in the lungs?

A

Increased pressure.

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12
Q

What is tidal volume?

A

The volume of air breathed in or out per breath.

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13
Q

What is inspiratory reserve volume?

A

The volume of air that can be forcibly breathed in after a normal breath.

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14
Q

What is expiratory reserve volume?

A

The volume of air that can be forcibly breathed out after a normal breath.

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15
Q

What does ERV mean? (lung volumes)

A

Expiratory reserve volume.

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16
Q

What does IRV mean? (lung volumes)

A

Inspiratory reserve volume.

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17
Q

What is residual volume?

A

The amount of air that remains in the lungs after maximal expiration.

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18
Q

What is minute ventilation?

A

The volume of air inspired or expired per minute.

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19
Q

What is the calculation for minute ventilation?

A

Number of breaths per minute x tidal volume.

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20
Q

Approximately how many breaths are taken per minute?

A

Approximately 12 at rest.

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21
Q

When could the residual volume of the lungs be depleted?

A

If the lungs were punctured or had some sort of hole to let the air out of.

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22
Q

What would happen to the lungs if the residual volume was lost?

A

The lungs would collapse and stick together, which means breathing would not be possible.

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23
Q

What happens to the tidal volume during exercise?

A

Increases.

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24
Q

What happens to the IRV during exercise?

A

Decreases.

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25
Q

What happens to the ERV during exercise?

A

Slightly decreases.

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26
Q

What happens to the residual volume during exercise?

A

Stays constant.

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27
Q

What happens to the minute volume during exercise?

A

Massive increase.

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28
Q

What is a spirometer?

A

A device that is used to measure the volume of air inspired and expired by the lungs per breath.

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29
Q

What is a spirometer trace?

A

The results produced by a spirometer that has measured breathing volumes.

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30
Q

Why does minute ventilation increase during heavy exercise?

A

To meet the increased demand for oxygen.

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31
Q

What is the partial pressure of a gas?

A

The pressure exerted by an individual gas when it exists withing a mixture of gases.

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32
Q

What does pO2 stand for?

A

Partial pressure of oxygen.

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33
Q

What percentage of environmental air (inspired air) does oxygen make up?

A

21%

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34
Q

What percentage of environmental air (inspired air) does carbon dioxide make up?

A

0.03%

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35
Q

What percentage of environmental air (inspired air) does nitrogen make up?

A

79%

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36
Q

When will oxygen stop diffusing from the alveoli to the blood?

A

When the partial pressure is equal in the two.

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37
Q

What is the diffusion pathway of oxygen?

A

Alveoli;
Blood;
Muscles.

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38
Q

What is the diffusion pathway of carbon dioxide?

A

Muscles;
Blood;
Alveoli.

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39
Q

Before pressure is equalised, which has a higher partial pressure of carbon dioxide, the blood in the alveolar capillaries or the alveoli?

A

The blood in the alveolar capillaries as carbon dioxide goes from blood to the alveoli.

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40
Q

What happens to the percentage of oxygen in the air when it is expired compared to when it was inspired?

A

The concentration decreases as oxygen is diffused into the blood.

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41
Q

What happens to the percentage of carbon dioxide in the air when it is expired compared to when it was inspired?

A

The concentration

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42
Q

What happens to the percentage of nitrogen in the air when it is expired compared to when it was inspired?

A

The concentration stays pretty much constant (may increase by less than 1%).

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43
Q

What is the unit measurement for partial pressure?

A

mmHg - millimetres of mercury.

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44
Q

What are the three factors involved in the regulation of pulmonary ventilation during exercise?

A

Neural control;
Chemical control;
Hormonal control.

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45
Q

What is meant by the term pulmonary ventilation?

A

Breathing

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46
Q

What does pCO2 stand for?

A

The partial pressure of carbon dioxide.

47
Q

What is neural control?

A

The brain and nervous system.

48
Q

What is chemical control?

A

The acidity of the blood.

49
Q

How do the neural and chemical controls work together to control pulmonary ventilation?

A

When blood acidity is high, the brain is informed and it sends impulses through the nervous system to increase breathing.

50
Q

Which hormone increases breathing rate?

A

Adrenaline.

51
Q

What is the passage of neural and chemical control for inspiration?

A

Receptors;
Medulla oblongarta;
Phrenic nerve;
Diaphragm and external intercostals.

52
Q

What is the passage of neural and chemical control for expiration?

A

Receptors;
Medulla oblongarta;
Intercostal nerve;
Abdominals and internal intercostals.

53
Q

The brain sends impulses to which gland to release adrenaline?

A

The renal gland.

54
Q

What are stretch receptors?

A

They prevent over-inflation of the lungs by sending impulses to the expiratory centre.

55
Q

What are cilia?

A

Microscopic hair-like projections that help to sweep away fluids and particles in the respiratory system.

56
Q

What effects can smoking have on the respiratory system?

A
  • Irritation of the trachea and bronchi;
  • Swelling and narrowing of the lungs’ airways;
  • Damages cilia, which pushes mucus out the lungs;
  • Break down alveoli walls;
  • Increases risk of COPD;
  • Reduces haemoglobin affinity.
57
Q

Smoking can lead to COPD, what is this?

A

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - such as emphysema.

58
Q

What affect does the sympathetic nervous system have on breathing rate?

A

Increases to prepare for exercise.

59
Q

T/F - expiration is a passive process.

A

True.

60
Q

During inspiration, what happens to the diaphragm and intercostal muscles?

A

They contract and the diaphragm flattens.

61
Q

During inspiration, what happens to the ribs?

A

They are pulled upwards and outwards.

62
Q

During inspiration, what happens to the volume of the thoracic cavity?

A

The volume increases.

63
Q

During inspiration, what happens to the pressure of air within the lungs?

A

Pressure decreases.

64
Q

During expiration, what happens to the diaphragm and intercostal muscles?

A

They relax.

65
Q

During expiration, what happens to the volume of the thoracic cavity?

A

The volume decreases.

66
Q

During expiration, what happens to the ribs?

A

They are pulled inwards and down.

67
Q

During expiration, what happens to the pressure of air within the lungs?

A

The pressure increases.

68
Q

During inspiration, what happens as a result of air pressure changing?

A

Air is sucked in.

69
Q

During expiration, what happens as a result of air pressure changing?

A

Air is breathed out.

70
Q

During exercise what happens to the depth and rate of breathing?

A

Breathing rate and depth increases.

71
Q

What does the sternocleidomastoid do during inspiration?

A

It raises the sternum to increase the thoracic cavity.

72
Q

What do the scalenes and pectoralis minor do during inspiration?

A

Lift the ribs further to increase the thoracic cavity further.

73
Q

What is the function of the abdominals in expiration?

A

They contract, pushing the diaphragm up reducing the thoracic cavity further to push air out.

74
Q

What do the external intercostals do during expiration?

A

They pull the ribcage inwards and downwards which reduces the size of the thoracic cavity.

75
Q

When is expiration a passive process and when is it an active process?

A

Passive at rest and active during exercise.

76
Q

Which lung volume is represented by the equation:

IRV + TV + ERV?

A

Vital capacity.

77
Q

What is the vital capacity?

A

The maximal volume of air that can be forcibly expired after maximal inspiration.

78
Q

Calculation for vital capacity?

A

(VC =) IRV + TV + ERV

79
Q

What is total lung capacity?

A

The volume of air in the lungs following a maximal inspiration.

80
Q

State the calculation for minute ventilation?

A

(VE =) Tidal Volume x breathing rate

TV x f

81
Q

Why does minute ventilation increase dramatically when exercise begins?

A

To meet the oxygen demand of the working muscles and the need to remove carbon dioxide.

82
Q

Define oxyhaemoglobin.

A

A combination of oxygen binded haemoglobin.

83
Q

What is excess post-exercise oxygen consumption?

A

The increased volume of oxygen consumed following exercise.

84
Q

When during breathing does the diaphragm contract and when does it relax?

A

The diaphragm contracts during inhalation and relaxes during exhalation.

85
Q

What shape is formed when the diaphragm contracts?

A

It changes from a dome shape to a flatter shape.

86
Q

What is the name for the windpipe?

A

Trachea.

87
Q

After going through the trachea, where does air go?

A

Into one of the bronchi and then bronchioles after.

88
Q

What is nicotine?

A

An addictive stimulant found in cigarettes.

89
Q

What is the main proctetor of the lungs?

A

The rib cage.

90
Q

A pleura surrounds each lung, what is this and what is the function of it?

A

It is a double layer membrane containing lubricating pleural fluid in order to reduce friction.

91
Q

Which muscle seperates the lungs from the abdominals?

A

The diaphragm.

92
Q

Which lung is the largest?

A

The right lung is slightly larger, it has 3 ‘lobes’ as opposed to 2 on the left.

93
Q

How is O2 carried in the blood?

A
  • 97% within the haemoglobin of red blood cells.

- 3% in the blood plasma.

94
Q

How is CO2 carried in the blood?

A
  • 70% as carbonic acid.
  • 20% as carbaminohaemoglobin.
  • 7% in the blood plasma.
95
Q

What long term effect does long-term training have on lung volume?

A

Training has a very slight effect on volumes.

96
Q

What will long-term training increase the strength of?

A

Strengthens the intercostals and diaphragm due to increased respiratory muscle performance.

97
Q

What effect can aerobic training have on alveoli?

A

Training can increase the surface area of the alveoli thus increasing gaseous exchange.

98
Q

What is nicotine?

A

Nicotine is an addictive substance found in cigarettes.

99
Q

Nicotine can cause bronchoconstriction, what is this?

A

The narrowing of the bronchi and airways in the lungs due to the tightening of the surrounding smooth muscle tissue.

100
Q

How does nicotine effect gaseous exchange?

A

Nicotine can cause bronchoconstriction, this means that less air can reach the alveoli, thus reducing gaseous exchange.

101
Q

Cigarette smoke contains carbon monoxide, what effect does this have on gaseous exchange?

A

CO binds irreversibly with haemoglobin in RBC’s more readily than oxygen does, this stops the formation of oxyhaemoglobin, reducing the O2 carrying capacity of the blood.

102
Q

What is CO and where is it found commonly?

A

Carbon Monoxide found commonly in cigarette smoke.

103
Q

If a molecule of haemoglobin has two carbon monoxide molecules binded to it, what has happened to the carrying capacity of oxygen?

A

It has halved as 2 of the 4 carrying sites of the haemoglobin have been taken by carbon monoxide.

104
Q

What effect does cigarette smoke have on alveoli walls?

A

The toxins in the smoke break down the thin alveoli walls which means they cannot ‘inflate’ fully as they have lost their elasticity.

105
Q

What can cause alveoli to fuse together?

A

Cigarette smoke.

106
Q

Cigarette smoke can cause irritation of the trachea and bronchi, what can this lead to?

A

Breathlessness and emphysema / COPD.

107
Q

Where are cilia found and what is their function?

A

Cilia line the airways in the lungs, their function is to ‘filter’ the air entering the lungs by removing dirt and dust and excreting mucus from hte lungs.

108
Q

What causes smoker’s cough?

A

When the cilia become damaged and cannot remove mucus effectively so it has to be coughed out.

109
Q

Smoking can lead to the killing of cilia cells, what does this lead the lungs more exposed to?

A

Lung infections caused by bacteria in the air.

110
Q

Tar a toxin found in cigarettes, what effect does tar have on the body?

A

Tar destroys cilia.

111
Q

What is haemoglobin?

A

Haemoglobin is the red pigment that is present in red blood cells, it has a very high affinity for oxygen as it acts as the carrier in the body.

112
Q

What is formed when Oxygen combines with Haemoglobin?

A

Oxygen + Haemoglobin = Oxyhaemoglobin.

113
Q

What forms when Carbon Dioxide combines with Haemoglobin?

A

Carbon Dioxide + Haemoglobin= Carbaminohaemoglobin.