7. cardiorespiratory- Poor Lifestyle Choices On The Respiratory System

Question 1

Impact of physical activity on the respiratory system

Answer 1

Positive effects to promote a healthy lifestyle:

• improves the efficiency of the respiratory system due to an increase in the surface area of alveoli and capillary density at the alveoli, so the body can supply muscles with more oxygen.
• respiratory muscles are strengthened, resulting in deeper breathing
• greater gaseous exchange takes place so more oxygen diffuses into the blood and more carbon dioxide diffuses from the blood
• tidal volume and minute ventilation will increase, allowing more oxygen to diffuse into blood and more carbon dioxide to diffuse into the blood and more CO2 to diffuse into the alveoli

Question 2

Impact of poor lifestyle choices on the respiratory system

Answer 2

Lifestyle choices such as poor diet, lack of physical activity, smoking and too much alcohol can all have a negative impact on the respiratory system

Question 3

Impact of smoking in the respiratory system

Answer 3

Smoking affects oxygen transport because the carbon monoxide in the cigarettes combines with haemoglobin in red blood cells much more readily than oxygen. This reduces the oxygen oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood, which reduces the ability to work aerobically. This means that the performers will fatigue more quickly because more anaerobic respiration occurs

Question 4

Smoking can also cause:

Answer 4

• irritation or the trachea and bronchi
• reduced lung function and increased breathlessness, caused by the swelling and narrowing of the lungs airways
• damage to the cells lining the airways from cigarette smoke, leading to build up of excess mucus in the lungs and resulting in a smokers cough, in an attempt to get rid of the mucus
• reduction in the efficiency of gaseous exchange and an increase in the risk of COPD
• damage to the cilia which helps move mucus out of the airways. This leads to the buildup of mucus in the lungs and long passages or airways and a smokers cough
• damage to the alveoli the thin walls break down to make larger than normal air spaces which reduces gassiest exchange efficiency. This can lead to COPDiseases such as chronic bronchitis
• less oxygen carrying capacity of the red blood cells as common dioxide binds more readily to the haemoglobin leading to increased breathlessness and less efficient aerobic energy production so poor aerobic performances in sport