anatomy of respiratory system Flashcards
name the parts of the respiratory system
nose, pharynx, epiglottis, larynx, trachea, bronchus
what’s the function of the nose
contains cilia and mucus and moistens air
what’s the function of the pharynx?
connects nose and mouth
either joins with the larynx or goes on to form the oesophagus
what’s the function of the epiglottis?
flap of tissue which closes when we swallow to prevent food and liquid from going into the lungs
what can be found in the larynx?
vocal cords
what’s the function of the trachea and what is it made of?
main and biggest airway
composed of rings of cartilage
travels from the larynx to the sternal angle
splits into 2 primary bronchi
how many times does the bronchus split?
24 times, into smaller airways until they reach the alveoli
what’s the difference between pulmonary and systemic circulation?
pulmonary circulation moves blood between heart and lungs
systemic circulation moves blood between heart and the rest of the body
what is the point of gas exchange between the cardiovascular and respiratory system?
alveoli
list the functions of the respiratory system
gas exchange
acid base balance- regulation of body pH with renal system
protection of infection
communication- speech
what organs make up the upper respiratory tract?
pharynx, nasal cavity, tongue, vocal cords, larynx
what organs make up the lower respiratory tract?
trachea, right/left lung, right/left bronchus, diaphragm
what does the conducting zone of the airways consist of?
trachea, bronchus and bronchioles
its the highest point of air flow resistance
what does the respiratory zone consist of?
alveoli
why doesn’t anatomical dead space not take part in gas exchange?
walls of airways are too thick
what does airway resistance determine?
determines how much air flows into the lungs at any given pressure difference between atmosphere and alveoli. The major determinant of airway resistance is the radii of the airways
what is the pleural cavity?
part of thoracic cavity
what is tidal volume?
normal amount of air breathed in
0.5L
what is inspiratory reserve volume?
extra air breathed in when exercising or when there is an increased energy demand
3L
what is expiratory reserve volume?
extra air we can expire out if needed
1.1L
what is dead space volume?
volume of gas occupied by conducting airways and isn’t available for exchange
150ml
what is vital capacity?
inspiratory reserve volume+tidal volume
used in clinical respiratory physiology to measure lung volume
4.6L
what is residual volume?
volume of air left in lungs after expiratory reserve
stops alveoli from collapsing so less energy is required to inflate alveoli in the next breath
1.2L
which membrane is attached to the outer surface of the lungs?
visceral pleural
which membrane is attached to the inner surface of the ribs and diaphragm?
parietal pleural
what is the function of the visceral and parietal membranes?
stick lungs to ribcage
what does pleural fluid do?
stops the lungs from recoiling
what happens to the chest wall during inspiration?
expansion
what leads to recoil of chest wall during expiration?
elastic connective tissue
what is a pneumothorax?
air in the pleural cavity
