Compendium 4. The Respiratory System

Question 1

What are the 5 functions of the respiratory system?

Answer 1

1. Respiration (gas exchange)
2. Regulation of blood pH
3. Voice production
4. Olfaction (smell)
5. Protection against dust or microorganisms via mucous or cilia

Question 2

What are the 2 divisions of the respiratory system?

Answer 2

• Upper respiratory tract

- Lower respiratory tract

Question 3

What are the main functions of the conducting zone?

Answer 3

• Passage way for air
• Filters and cleans air
• Humidifies and warms air
• Olfaction
• The resonating chamber for speech

Question 4

How does the nasal cavity humidify and warm the air that travels through?

Answer 4

• Warms via the blood flowing through the nasal capillaries

- Moistens via the mucous epithelium and excess tears that drain into the nasal cavity

Question 5

What is the vestibule?

Answer 5

The entry into the nasal cavity (your nose holes hehe)

Question 6

What is the uvula?

Answer 6

The dangly piece of tissue at the back of your throat

Question 7

What is the septum?

Answer 7

The dividing piece of cartilage that separates the two nostrils

Question 8

What are concha and what is their purpose?

Answer 8

The bony ridges in the nasal cavity

The concha increases the surface area within the nasal cavity and creates a more turbulent air flow (exposed unwanted particles to mucous so that they don’t enter the lungs)

Question 9

What type of epithelium lines the vestibule?

Answer 9

Stratified Squamous

Question 10

What type of epithelium lines the concha?

Answer 10

Pseudo-stratified ciliated columnar

Question 11

What are the 3 regions of nasopharynx?

Answer 11

1. Nasopharynx
2. Oropharynx
3. Laryngopharynx

Question 12

What epithelium lines the nasopharynx?

Answer 12

Pseudo-stratified ciliated columnar

Question 13

What epithelium lines the oropharynx?

Answer 13

Stratified squamous

Question 14

What epithelium lines the laryngopharynx?

Answer 14

Stratified squamous

Question 15

How many cartilage pieces make up the larynx?

Answer 15

9

• 6 are paired (one on either side of the larynx)
• 3 are unpaired

Question 16

Name the 9 cartilage pieces

Answer 16

Paired

• Cuneiform
• Corniculate
• Arytenoid

Individual

• Epiglottis
• Thyroid
• Cricoid

Question 17

What are the main functions of the larynx?

Answer 17

• Maintains an open passageway for air movement
• Directs food into the oesophagus away from the respiratory tract via the epiglottis
• Traps irritating particles from entering the lungs

Question 18

How many hyaline cartilage rings does the trachea have?

Answer 18

15-20

Question 19

What epithelium lines the tracheal lumen?

Answer 19

Pseudo-stratified ciliated columnar

Question 20

What is the Carina?

Answer 20

An extremely sensitive area that is the point in which the trachea branches off into the primary bronchi.

Question 21

What are the transitions of epithelium as it gets deeper into the lungs?

Answer 21

pseudo-stratified ciliated columnar to simple ciliated columnar to simple ciliated cuboidal

Question 22

Explain the divisions of the branches in the lungs

Answer 22

Primary (main) bronchi 
Secondary (lobar) bronchi
Tertiary (segmental) bronchi
Bronchioles 
Terminal bronchioles
Respiratory bronchioles 
Alveolar duct
Alveoli

Question 23

How many lobes are in the left and right lung?

Answer 23

Right - 3 lobes (superior, middle and inferior

Left - 2 lobes (superior and inferior)

Question 24

What type of epithelium is found in the capillaries covering the alveoli?

Answer 24

Simple squamous

Question 25

What type of epithelium is found in the alveoli?

Answer 25

Simple squamous

Question 26

What is the hilum?

Answer 26

The entry of the primary bronchi, nerves and blood capillaries into the lungs

Question 27

What are the 4 factors that affect gas exchange?

Answer 27

1. The thickness of the respiratory membrane 2. Surface area 3. Diffusion coefficient 4. Partial pressure

Question 28

How is oxygen transported around the body?

Answer 28

98. 5% in haemoglobin | 1. 5% dissolved in blood plasma

Question 29

How is carbon dioxide transported around the body?

Answer 29

70% ( as bicarbonate ions) dissolved in blood plasma 7% ( as itself) dissolved in blood plasma 23% bound to haemoglobin

Question 30

What are the 5 structures involved in ventilation and how do they move?

Answer 30

Lungs Inspiration - volume increases as it fills with air Expiration - volume decreases as air leaves Diaphragm Inspiration - contracts inferiorly Expiration - relaxes superiorly Rib cage and sternum Inspiration - elevates Expiration - depresses Intercostal muscles Inspiration - contracts Expiration - relaxes

Question 31

What is Boyles Law?

Answer 31

Volume is inversely proportional (opposite) to pressure

Question 32

What are the two pressures during respiration?

Answer 32

Barometric air pressure - the atmospheric air pressure outside of the body Intra-alveolar pressure - The pressure inside the alveoli

Question 33

What changes come about in the two respiratory pressures during respiration?

Answer 33

During inspiration, barometric is higher than intra-alveolar During expiration, barometric is lower than intra-alveolar

Question 34

What forces assist in alveoli recoil?

Answer 34

- Fine elastics that cover the alveoli | - The surface fluid which coats the alveoli and reduces high tension

Question 35

What forces assist in lung expansion?

Answer 35

- Intrapleural pressure being less than intraalveolar pressure - Visceral pleura adhering to parietal pleura via the pleaural fluid

Question 36

Define tidal volume

Answer 36

The amount of air inspired or expired with each breath

Question 37

Define inspiratory reserve volume

Answer 37

The amount of air that can be inspired forcefully on top of inspiration of the tidal volume

Question 38

Define expiratory reserve volume

Answer 38

The amount of air that can be forcefully expired after expiration of the tidal volume

Question 39

Define residual volume

Answer 39

The amount of air that remains in the lungs even after the most forceful expiration

Question 40

What is inspiratory capacity?

Answer 40

Tidal volume plus inspiratory reserve volume | the maximum amount a person can expire after a normal respiration

Question 41

What is functional residual capacity?

Answer 41

Expiratory reserve volume plus residual volume | The amount of air remaining in the lungs at the end of normal respiration

Question 42

What is vital capacity?

Answer 42

Inspiratory reserve volume plus tidal volume plus expiratory reserve volume (The maximum volume of air that can be expelled from the lungs after maximum inspiration)

Question 43

What is lung capacity?

Answer 43

Inspiratory reserve volume plus tidal volume plus expiratory reserve volume plus residual volume

Question 44

What is respiratory rate?

Answer 44

The number of breaths taken each minute

Question 45

What is minute ventilation?

Answer 45

Total amount of air into and out of the respiratory system each minute (tidal volume x respiratory rate)

Question 46

What is anatomic dead space?

Answer 46

Regions in the respiratory system where gas exchange does not take place

Question 47

What is a restrictive lung disease?

Answer 47

When a person cannot fully expand their lungs during respiration eg emphysema

Question 48

What are dynamic measurements?

Answer 48

Lung volume measurement in relation to time

Question 49

What do dynamic measurements actually measure?

Answer 49

1. Forced vital capacity - the maximum volume of air that can be forcefully expired fast as possible after a deep breath in. 2. Forced expiratory volume in 1 second - the volume of air expired in the first second of the test 3. Forced expiratory volume 1% - FEV1sec expressed as a percentage of the FVC