Respiratory system Flashcards
(29 cards)
what is breathing and what is another term for it
- air flow in and out of the lungs, also called ventilation
what is respiration
- exchange of gases that occurs during passive transport process of diffusion (cell get O2)
what is external respiration
- gas exchange between the alveoli (air sacs) and the lung capillaries (blood)
what is internal respiration
- exchange of gases between capillaries and cells (blood and tissue) nothing to do with lungs
what are the lungs
- located in thoracic cavity (not the mediastinum, they create that), right lung has 3 lobes and is larger, left lung has 2 lobes and is smaller, along with cardiac notch for heart
what is the mediastinum
- middle of chest where trachea divides into 2 branches (space between the lungs)
what is the diaphragm
- breathing muscle, separates thoracic from abdominal cavity. innervated by phrenic nerve
what is the hilum
- blood vessels, nerves, lymphatic tissue, and bronchial tubes enter and exit this area
what makes up the upper respiratory tract
- nose and sinuses,
- pharynx
- larynx
what makes up the lower respiratory tract
- trachea (windpipe)
- bronchial tree (bronchi, bronchioles, terminal bronchioles)
- lungs (alveoli)
what is respiratory mucosa and what does it do
- specialized membrane that lines the air distribution tubes in the respiratory tree
- more than 125 mL of mucus produced over each day forms a ‘mucous blanket’ over much of the respiratory mucosa
- mucus serves as an air purification mechanism by trapping inspired irritants such as dust and pollen
- cilia on mucosal cells beat in only one direction, moving mucus upward to pharynx for removal
structure and functions of the nose:
structure:
- nasal septum separates inferior of nose into 2 cavities
- mucous membrane lines nose
- frontal, maxillary, sphenoidal and ethmoidal sinuses drain into nose
functions:
- warms and moistens inhaled air
- contains sense organs of smell (olfaction)
structure and functions of the pharynx
structure
- (throat), about 12.5 cm long
- divided into nasopharynx, oropharynx and laryngopharynx
- two nasal cavities, mouth, esophagus, larynx and auditory tubes all have openings into pharynx
- pharyngeal tonsils (adenoids) and openings of the auditory tubes (eustachian tubes) open into nasopharynx. palatine tonsils found in oropharynx
- mucous membrane lines pharynx
functions
- passageway for food and liquids
- passageway for air
structure and functions of the larynx
structure
- several pieces of cartilage form framework
- thyroid cartilage (adam’s apple) is largest
- epiglottis partially covers opening into larynx
- mucous lining
- vocal cords stretch across interior of larynx
functions
- air distribution, passageway for air to move to and from lungs
- voice productions
structure and functions of the trachea
structure
- tube about 11 cm long that extends from larynx into thoracic cavity
- mucous lining
- c-shaped rings of cartilage hold trachea open
function
- passageway for air to and from lungs
what happens when obstruction of the trachea occurs
- blockage of trachea occludes the airway and if blockage is complete causes death in minutes
- tracheal obstruction causes more than 4000 deaths annually in the US
structure and functions of the bronchi, bronchioles and alveoli
structure
- trachea branches into right and left bronchi. bifurcation area is called carina
- each bronchus branches into smaller and smaller tubes eventually leading to bronchioles
- bronchioles end in clusters of microscopic alveolar sacs, the walls of which are made up of alveoli
functions
- bronchi and bronchioles: air distribution; passageway for air to move to and from alveoli
- alveoli: exchange of gases between air and blood
what is the respiratory membrane
- a wall between the blood in the capillaries and the air in the alveoli (less than 1 micron thick). assists in diffusion
what is surfactant
- a substance covering the inside of each alveoli
- helps reduce the surface tension in the alveoli
- keeps them from collapsing as air moves in and out during respiration
how big are the lungs
- large enough to fill the chest cavity except the middle space occupied by the heart and large blood vessels
what is the apex of the lungs
- narrow upper part of each lung, under collarbone
what is the base of the lungs
- broad, lower part of each lung, rests on diaphragm
what is the pleura
- moist, slippery double layered membrane that lines the chest cavity (parietal pleura), and covers the outer surface of the lungs (visceral pleura). reduces friction between the lungs and chest wall during breathing
how many lobes does the right lung have
- 3