Chapter 6: The Respiratory System

Question 1

The lungs are located in the ____________, the structure of which is specially designed to perform breathing.

Answer 1

Thoracic cavity

Question 2

Air enters the respiratory tract through the external nares of the nose and then passes through the nasal cavity, where it is filtered by mucous membranes and nasal hairs (also called __________)

Answer 2

Vibrissae

Question 3

The _________ resides behind the nasal cavity and at the back of the mouth; it is a common pathway for both air destined for the lungs and food destined for the esophagus,

Answer 3

Pharynx

Question 4

The _________ lies below the pharynx and is only a pathway for air.

Answer 4

Larynx

Question 5

___________ is the opening of the larynx.

Answer 5

Glottis

Question 6

To keep food out of the respiratory system, the opening of the larynx (glottis) is covered by the ___________ during swallowing.

Answer 6

Epiglottis

Question 7

The larynx contains 2 __________ that are maneuvered using skeletal muscle and cartilage.

Answer 7

Vocal cords

Question 8

From the larynx, air passes into the cartilaginous ___________.

Answer 8

Trachea

Question 9

From the trachea, air then passes into one of the two mainstream __________.

Answer 9

Bronchi

Question 10

In the lungs, the bronchi continue to divide into smaller structures known as ___________.

Answer 10

Bronchioles

Question 11

The bronchioles then divide further until they end in the tiny balloon-like structures in which gas exchange occurs that are called the ___________.

Answer 11

Alveoli

Question 12

Each alveoli is coated with __________, a detergent that lowers surface tension and prevents the alveolus from collapsing on itself.

Answer 12

Surfactant

Question 13

The __________ forms the outside of the thoracic cavity.

Answer 13

Chest wall

Question 14

Membranes known as __________ surround each lung. Each forms a closed sac against which the lung expands.

Answer 14

Pleurae

Question 15

The surface adjacent to the lung is the __________, and the outer part is ____________.

Answer 15

Visceral pleura
Parietal pleura

Question 16

The lungs do not fill passively, and require skeletal muscle to generate the __________ pressure for expansion

Answer 16

Negative pressure

Question 17

The most important of the required skeletal muscle for lung expansion is the _____________, a thin, muscular structure that divides the thoracic (chest) cavity from the abdominal cavity.

Answer 17

Diaphragm

Question 18

The space within the sac between the two pleural layers is referred to as the _____________, which contains a thin layer of fluid.

Answer 18

Intrapleural space

Question 19

We use our diaphragm and _____________ muscles (one of the layers of muscles between the ribs) to expand the thoracic cavity.

Answer 19

External intercostal muscles

Question 20

As the diaphragm flattens and the chest wall expands outward, the _____________ (the volume of the chest cavity) increases.

Answer 20

Intrathoracic cavity

Question 21

From the understanding of Boyle’s law, an increase in intrapleural volume leads to a ___________ in intrapleural pressure.

Answer 21

Decrease

Question 22

The gas in the lungs is initially at the atmospheric pressure, which is now higher than the pressure in the intrapleural space. The lungs will therefore expand into the intrapleural space, and the pressure in the lungs will drop. Air will then be sucked in from a high-pressure environment - the outside world. This mechanism is referred as ________________ because the driving force is the lower (relatively negative) pressure in the intrapleural space compared with the lungs.

Answer 22

Negative-pressure breathing

Question 23

During exhalation, we can speed up the process by using the ________________ and abdominal muscles, which oppose the external intercostals and pull the rib cage down. This actively decreases the volume of the thoracic cavity.

Answer 23

Internal intercostals muscles

Question 24

The ___________ prevents the complete collaspe of the alveoli during exhalation by reducing surface tension at the alveolar surface.

Answer 24

Surfactant

Question 25

The indirect connection of the lungs to the ____________ prevents them from collapsing completely on recoil, like surfactant

Answer 25

Chest wall

Question 26

_____________ is a disease characterized the the destruction of the alveolar walls.

Answer 26

Emphysema

Question 27

A ____________ is an instrument used in pulmonology to provide a number of measures quantities within the lungs.

Answer 27

Spirometer

Question 28

______________ is the maximum volume of air in the lungs when one inhales completely; usually around 6 to 7 liters

Answer 28

Total lung capacity (TLC)

Question 29

______________ is the volume of air remaining in the lungs when one exhales completely

Answer 29

Residual volume (RV)

Question 30

______________ is the difference between the minimum and maximum volume of air in the lungs (TLC - RV)

Answer 30

Vital capacity (VC)

Question 31

______________ is the volume of air inhaled or exhaled in a normal breath.

Answer 31

Tidal volume (TV)

Question 32

______________ is the volume of additional air that can be forcibly exhaled after a normal exhalation.

Answer 32

Expiratory reserve volume (ERV)

Question 33

______________ is the volume of additional air that can be forcibly inhaled after a normal inhalation.

Answer 33

Inspiratory reserve volume (IRV)

Question 34

Ventilation is primarily regulated by a collection of neurons in the medulla oblongata called the ______________ that fire rhythmically to cause regular contraction of respiratory muscles.

Answer 34

Ventilation center

Question 35

Ventilation center neurons contain _____________ that are primarily sensitive to carbon dioxide concentration.

Answer 35

Chemoreceptors

Question 36

_____________ or _____________ is when the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the blood rises.

Answer 36

Hypercarbia Hypercapnia

Question 37

As the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the blood rises (hypercarbia or hypercapnia), the _____________ will increase so that more carbon dioxide is exhaled, causing carbon dioxide levels in the blood falls.

Answer 37

Respiratory rate

Question 38

___________ is when there is low oxygen concentration in the blood.

Answer 38

Hypoxemia

Question 40

The capillaries bring deoxygenated blood from the ______________, which original from the right ventricle of the heart.

Answer 40

Pulmonary arteries

Question 41

The oxygenated blood returns to the left atrium of the heart via the ___________.

Answer 41

Pulmonary veins

Question 42

Because the entire respiratory tract is highly vascular, it can also be used for ______________, or the regulation of body temperature.

Answer 42

Thermoregulation

Question 43

Heat - the transfer of thermal energy - is regulated via the body surfaces by _____________ and ______________.

Answer 43

Vasodilation Vasoconstriction

Question 44

As capillaries ___________, more blood can pass through these vessel, and a larger amount of thermal energy can be dissipated.

Answer 44

Dilate/Expand

Question 45

As capillaries ___________, less blood can pass through them, conserving thermal energy.

Answer 45

Contract

Question 46

The first line of defence in the lungs is the nasal cavity, which has small hairs (____________) that help to trap particulate matter and potentially infectious particles.

Answer 46

Vibrissae

Question 47

The nasal cavity contains an enzyme called ___________.

Answer 47

Lysozyme

Question 48

Underlying cilia then propel the mucus up the respiratory tract to the oral cavity, where it can be expelled or swallowed; this mechanism is called the ____________

Answer 48

Mucociliary escalator

Question 49

The lungs contain ____________ that can engulf and digest pathogens and signal to the rest of the immune system that there is an invader.

Answer 49

Macrophages

Question 50

Mucosal surfaces contain _________ antibodies that help to protect against pathogens that contact the mucous membranes.

Answer 50

IgA antibodies

Question 51

____________ release inflammatory chemicals into the surrounding area to promote an immune response when the right substance attaches to the antibodies on the cell surface (allergic reaction).

Answer 51

Mast cells

Question 52

The respiratory system plays a role in pH balance through the ___________________ system in the blood.

Answer 52

Bicarbonate buffer system

Question 53

The human body attempts to maintain a pH between ________ and _________.

Answer 53

7.35-7.45

Question 54

When the pH is lower, and hydrogen ion concentration is higher (__________), acid-sensing chemoreceptors just outside the blood-brain barrier send signals to the brain to increase the respiratory rate.

Answer 54

Acidemia

Question 55

If the blood is too basic (__________), then the body will seek to increase acidity.

Answer 55

Alkalemia

Question 56

If the respiratory rate is slowed, then more carbon dioxide will be retained, shifting the buffer equation to the right and producing more hydrogen ions and bicarbonate ions. This results in ________ pH level.

Answer 56

Lower

Question 57

As the respiratory rate increases, more carbon dioxide is blown off. This will push the buffer equation to the left. Hence, the removal of carbon dioxide causes a shift to the _________ that allows the hydrogen ion concentration to drop back to normal.

Answer 57

Left