Respiratory System

Question 1

What is tidal volume and how does exercise affect it?

Answer 1

• volume of air inspired or expired per breath
• increases during exercise

Question 2

What is minute ventilation and how does exercise effect it?

Answer 2

• the volume of air inhaled or exhaled per minute
• increases during exercise (large increase)

Question 3

What are expiratory and inspiratory reserve volumes and how does exercise affect them?

Answer 3

• the volume of air that can be forcibly forcibly inspired/expired after a normal breath
• inspiratory decreases during exercise
• expiratory has a slight decrease during exercise

Question 4

What is residual volume and how does exercise affect it?

Answer 4

• the amount of air that remains in the ungs after maximal expiration
• remains the same during exercise

Question 5

What is vital capacity?

Answer 5

The maximum volume of air exhaled after a maximal inhalation

Question 6

What is gaseous exchange and how does it work?

Answer 6

• involves the movement of oxygen from the air into the blood and removing carbon dioxide from the blood into the air
• works due to diffusion and partial pressure differences
• gases flow from an area of high partial pressure to an area of low partial pressure

Question 7

What happens with gaseous exchange at the alveoli?

Answer 7

• partial pressure of oxygen in the blood is lower than the partial pressure in the alveoli creating a concentration gradient
• oxygen diffuses from the alveoli into the blood until pressure is equal in both
• partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the blood is higher than the partial pressure in the alveoli creating a concentration gradient
• carbon dioxide diffuses from the blood into the alveoli until pressure is equal in both

Question 8

What happens with gaseous exchange at the muscles?

Answer 8

• partial pressure of oxygen in the blood is higher than the partial pressure in the muscles creating a concentration gradient
• oxygen diffuses from the blood into the muscles until pressure is equal in both
• partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the blood is lower than the partial pressure in the muscles creating a concentration gradient
• carbon dioxide diffuses from the muscles into the blood until pressure is equal in both
• myoglobin stores oxygen in the muscles and has a higher affinity than haemoglobin, so pulls more oxygen into the muscles

Question 9

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

Answer 9

• neural control
• chemical control

Question 10

Where is the respiratory found and what does it do?

Answer 10

• respiratory centre is located in the medulla
• controls the rate and depth of breathing using neural and chemical control

Question 11

How is pulmonary ventilation regulated by neural control?

Answer 11

• controls ventilation automaticallu through the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems
• sympathetic nervous system increases breathing rate
• parasympathetic nervous system deceases breathing rate

Question 12

How is pulmonary ventilation regulated by chemical control?

Answer 12

• respiratory centre responds to changes in blood chemistry
• during exercise blood acididty increases due to more CO2 and lactic acid
• changes are detected by chemoreceptors which send an impulse to the inspiratory centre in the respiratory centre
• inspiratory centre send impulses down the phrenic nerve to stimulate more inspiratory muscles (expiratory centre stimulates expiratory muscles via intercostal nerve)

Question 13

What are the two main areas to the respiratory centre and what do they do?

Answer 13

• Inspirator centre responsible for inspiration and expiration at rest and sends impulses via the phrenic nerve to the inspiratory muscles
• Expiratory centre inactive at rest but during exercise it stimulates the expiratory muscles via intercostal nerve

Question 14

What are the expiratory muscles?

Answer 14

• abdominals
• internal intercostal muscles

Question 15

What are the inspiratory muscles?

Answer 15

• sternocleidomasoid
• percoralis minor
• scalene
• diaphragm
• external intercoast muscles

Question 16

How are receptors involved in the regulation of pulmonary ventilation?

Answer 16

• chemoreceptors detect increase in blood acidity and increase breathing rate
• proprioceptors detect an increase in muscle movement and increase breathing rate
• baroreceptors detect a decrease in blood pressure and increase beathing rate

Question 17

What are the impacts of poor lifestyle on the respiratory system?

smoking

Answer 17

• irritated trachea and bronchi
• damage to alveoli
• reduced lung function/ breathlessness due to swelling of bronchioles
• damage to cilia lining airways leading to excess mucus and ‘smokers cough’
• increased risk of COPD