Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Physiology > The Respiratory System > Flashcards

The Respiratory System Flashcards

(59 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

What are the main functions of the respiratory system?

A

Gas exchange between environment & blood
Control of acidity of body
Filtering of air inhaled
Vocalization

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Which lung has 3 lobes?

A

Right lung
Left lung has 2 lobes, its smaller to make space in the thoracic cavity for the heart

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is the pleural sac?

A

A double layered sac that surrounds the lungs, filled with pleural fluid-ventilation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is the function of the pleural sac?

A

It reduces friction from movement on the surface of the lungs
It fixes lungs firmly on the thoracic wall without physical attachments

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is the function of the airways?

A

Warming up of inspired air
Humidification of dry inspired air
Filtration of inhaled foreign materials

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What are turbinates / conchae?

A

Bony dividers that increase the SA of the nasal cavity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is the vestibule?

A

The entrance to the nasal cavity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What separates the air in the alveoli from the pulmonary capillaries?

A

A single layer of capillary endothelial cells & a single layer of alveolar epithelial cells

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Boyle’s law

A

P1 x V1 = P2 x V2
Pressure - volume relationship

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Airflow equation

A

Airflow is directly proportional to P/R

AF is directional proportional to p difference between 2 points
Af is inversely proportional to R created by airways

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Airway diameter & flow resistance equation

A

R directly proportional to L x n / r4
n- viscosity - affected by humidity & concentration of air

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is the main factor affecting resistance in the respiratory system?

A

Airway radius

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What factors affect airway radius?

A

Bronchodilation - Co2, epinephrine ( via b2 receptors)
Bronchoconstriction - parasympathetic stimulation (via muscarinic receptors), histamine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What happens to the muscles during inspiration?

A

Diaphragm contracts
Expansion of thoracic cavity
External intercostal muscles pulls ribs up & out

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What happens to the muscles as breathing rate increases?

A

Diaphragm contracts more
Sternocleidomastoid & scalenes elevate the sternum
Sternum moves up & out
Pec minor elevates ribs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What happens to the muscles during expiration?

A

Expiration is a passive process - requires no contraction of any muscles
Elasticity of lungs recoils inward
Diaphragm relaxes
Lungs relax
Abdominal organs recoil & press diaphragm upward

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What happens to the muscles during expiration of heavy breathing?

A

Requires the contribution of the expiratory muscles
Diaphragm relaxed
Internal intercostal muscles pulls ribs down & inwards
abdominal wall muscles contract & compress abdominal organs forcing the diaphragm higher

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

When Palv is below < Patm what
Occurs?

A

Inspiration
When Palv > Patm expiration occurs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What does surfactant do?

A

Stabilises alveoli & increases lung compliance as it contains 2 proteins that disrupt the forces between water molecules resulting in a reduced surface tension of alveolar walls

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

How does a reduced surface tension affect the rs?

A

The alveolar spaces are less prone to collapsing
The lung is more compliant & is inflated easier.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Law of Laplace

A

P=2t/r

T= surface tension
R=radius
P = pressure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What does a spirometer measure?

A

Lung volumes & evaluates lung function

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What can a spirometer not measure?

A

Functional residual capacity - the amount of air left in the lungs at the end of normal expiration
Residual volume - the amount of air left in the lungs at the end of maximal expiration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What is tidal volume?

Study These Flashcards
A

Amount of air moved in & out lungs with every breath during normal breathing

25
What is reserve volume?
Amount of additional air moved in & out lungs during heavy breathing
26
What is vital capacity?
Total amount of air that can be moved in & out lungs during maximal respiratory effort
27
What is anatomical dead space?
Part of airways where gas exchange does not take place - fixed volume - 150 ml
28
What is alveolar dead space?
Areas of lungs where gas exchange can take place but that are not properly perused with blood
29
What is minute ventilation?
Amount of air moved by lungs in 1 minute
30
Minute ventilation equation (ve)
Ve = tidal volume X breathing frequency
31
What is hypernoea?
Ve increases in proportion to metabolic rate
32
What is hyperventilation?
Vé increases more than metabolic rate
33
What is Dalton's law?
The pressure of a gas mixture is equal to the sum of the pressures of the individual gases
34
Fick's law of diffusion equation
Rate of diffusion is directly proportional to area / thickness x (p1-p2) x D ( Pl x P2 )= partial pressure difference D =d is directly proportional to solubility / square root MW
35
What factors does movement of molecules depend on?
Temperature Pressure difference Solubility
36
Pathological limitations of diffusion
Emphysema - limited SA and poor elastic recoil Fibrotic lung disease - stiff lungs hard to inflate Pulmonary oedema - pressure changes Asthma - poor ventilation constriction of airways
37
Oxygen consumption =
Inspired air - expired air
38
Co2 production =
Expired air - inspired air
39
Volume of inspired O2 =
Volume of inspired air x %of inspired O2
40
Volume of expired O2 =
Volume of expired air x % of expired O2
41
Volume of expired CO2 =
Volume of expired air x % expired CO2
42
Volume of inspired CO2 =
Volume of inspired air x % of inspired CO2
43
what is the law of mass reaction?
when a reaction is at equilibrium, the ratio of the substrates and products will remain constant
44
what carries oxygen in the blood?
haemoglobin- an O2 binding protein contained within RBC
45
what is haemoglobin made up of?
4 polypeptide chains (globins) 4 haeme groups - centre of each contains a ferrous atom (Fe 2+) that binds O2
46
oxygen + haemoglobin=
oxyhaemoglobin Hb + O2 = HbO2
47
why is a partial pressure gradient created when O2 binds to haemoglobin?
for O2 to diffuse across from the blood into plasma of cells
48
what is the saturation of oxygen in RBC?
97.98%
49
in the oxyhaemoglobin dissociation curve, what will a shift to the left cause?
an increase in acidity to O2 a shift to the right will decrease acidity to O2
50
what factors affect O2 binding to haemoglobin?
acidity PCO2 temperature DPG
51
how is 70% of all CO2 carried in the body?
in the form of bicarbonate ions (HCO3) CO2 + H2O ->H2CO3 ->H+ + HCO3-
52
How is the rest of the 23% of CO2 carried in the body?
bound to haemoglobin Hb + CO2 -> HbCO2 (carbaminohaemoglobin)
53
does the ventral respiratory group control inspiration or expiration?
expiration
54
does the dorsal respiratory group control inspiration or expiration?
inspiration
55
what do slowly adapting pulmonary stretch receptors do?
become active when tidal volume approaches the physical limitations of the lung tissue for expansion, they protect the lungs by initiating a signal that inhibits inspiration - Hering- Breuer reflex
56
what do rapidly adapting pulmonary stretch receptors do?
in the trachea and large airways, they respond to stimuli such as cigarette smoke and inhaled particles by initiating reflexes such as coughing and sneezing by causing bronchoconstriction.
57
what are the 2 types of peripheral chemoreceptors in the ventilatory drive?
carotid chemoreceptors (carotid bodies) aortic chemoreceptors ( aortic arch)
58
what chemoreceptors respond to changes in CO2 ?
central chemoreceptors
59
what affects the peripheral chemoreceptors but not the central chemoreceptors?
PO2 levels of arterial oxygen

Physiology (9 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions