BN Ch.25 A&P Respiratory System

Question 1

Differentiate between internal and external respiration.

Answer 1

• Internal respiration (cellular respiration): The exchange of oxygen for carbon dioxide within cells.
• External respiration: The exchange of oxygen for carbon dioxide with the alveoli of the lungs.

Question 2

Describe anatomic relationships between the larynx, trachea, and esophagus.

Answer 2

• Larynx(voice box): Boxlike structure made of cartilages held together by ligaments.
• Trachea (windpipe): Air passes from the into the trachea. The horseshoe-shaped cartilaginous rings provide sufficient rigidity to keep it open at all times. *Anterior to the esophagus
• Esophagus: The esophagus extends from the pharynx down to the neck and thorax and through an opening in the diaphragm, the esophageal hiatus, to the stomach.
• The role of the esophagus in digestion is to serve as a passageway; no digestion food passes through in 5-10 seconds.

Question 3

Name and describe ways in which the respiratory system is protected.

Answer 3

• Nasal hair
• Mucus
• Cilia

are protective structures of the respiratory system.

• Sneezing
• Coughing
• Yawning

are protective reflexes of the respiratory system.

Question 4

State the function of surfactant.

Answer 4

Surfactant acts to break up surface tension in the pulmonary (lung) fluids.

This reduces friction and preserves the elasticity of lung tissue, thus preventing collapse of the alveoli ( atelectasis ) between breaths.

Question 5

Diagram the path of air flow in and out of the lungs, identifying structures involved and their functions.

Answer 5

Nose - Pharynx - Larynx - Trachea - Bronchi - Bronchioles - Alveoli (where gasses are exchanged)

• Nose: Air enters the body through the right and left external nares ( nostrils ).
• Pharynx: A tube-shaped passage for air and food.
• Larynx: a boxlike structure in the midline of the neck, composed of cartilages held together by ligaments.
• Trachea: a tube approximately 4.5 in. (11 cm) long and 1 in. diameter in adults. It consists of C-shaped hyaline cartilage and connective tissue and extends from the lower end of the larynx into the chest cavity behind the heart.
• Bronchi: As the trachea enters the chest cavity, it divides into two smaller tubes,
• Bronchioles: As the bronchi become smaller, their walls become thinner, the amount of cartilage decreases, and they become known as bronchioles
• Alveoli (where gasses are exchanged)

Question 6

Explain how the mechanisms of inspiration and expiration occur.

Answer 6

• Inspiration: breathing in
• Expiration: breathing out

Question 7

Describe the pleura and its function.

Answer 7

The pleura is a vital part of the respiratory tract whose role it is to cushion the lungs and reduce any friction which may develop between the lungs, rib cage, and chest cavity.

Question 8

Describe two regulators of breathing and how they function.

Answer 8

• The medulla’s respiratory center automatically controls the depth and rate of respirations without requiring conscious thought.
  
  • The pons works with the medulla to produce a normal breathing rhythm.
• The cerebral cortex allows some voluntary control over breathing when talking, singing, eating, or changing the rate of breathing.
• You can stop breathing for a short time by holding your breath, but the medulla will assume control eventually.
• Chemoreceptors in the medulla stimulate the muscles of respiration in response to changes in carbon dioxide levels.
  
  • Therefore, carbon dioxide (CO 2 )—not oxygen—is the major regulator of respiration.

Question 9

Describe how the exchange of gases takes place in the alveoli of the lungs.

Answer 9

• The exchange of oxygen for carbon dioxide within the alveoli of the lungs (by diffusion-passive transport) is called external respiration (pulmonary respiration) because it’s involved with the external environment.
• In the lungs at the same time oxygen is diffusing from outside air via the alveoli into the capillaries, the capillaries are giving up carbon dioxide ( a waste product of metabolism) back into the alveoli.

Question 10

Describe effects of aging on the respiratory system and their nursing implications.

Answer 10

Effects of Aging on Respiratory System:

• Increased rigidity of thorax and diaphragm
• Decreased numbers of alveoli and diffusion ability
• Decreased strength in breathing and coughing
• The size of the chest wall decreases as a result of kyphosis and osteoporosis
• Increased risk for pneumonia and circulatory disorders
• Obstructive sleep apnea in clients who are overweight and inactive

Nursing implications for aging respiratory system:

• Encourage good ventilation.
• Encourage exercise
• Advice older people to avoid contact with children to avoid respiratory tract infections.
• No smoking
• Supplement oxygen if necessary.
• Reposition client to allow air flow.
• Encourage moving, coughing, and deep breathing.
• Encourage adequate fluid intake.

Question 11

The __________ is a dome-shaped muscle that separates the thoracic and abdominal cavities.

Answer 11

Diaphragm

Question 12

The __________ is the part of the pharynx that extends from the uvula to the epiglottis.

Answer 12

Oropharynx

Question 13

A lid or cover of cartilage called the __________ guards the entrance to the larynx.

Answer 13

Epiglottis

Question 14

The function of the __________ is to allow the lungs to move without causing pain or friction against the chest walls.

Answer 14

Pleura

Question 15

The exchange of oxygen for carbon dioxide within the alveoli of the lungs is called __________ respiration.

Answer 15

External

Question 16

Identify the trachea and esophagus in the figure above

Answer 16

Question 17

Transports food from the pharynx to the stomach.

Answer 17

Esophagus

Question 18

Air passes from the larynx into the trachea. Mucus in the trachea traps inhaled foreign particles, which the waves of cilia carry
out of the respiration tract through the pharynx.

Answer 18

Trachea

Question 19

Serves as an air passageway between the
pharynx and the trachea

Answer 19

Larynx

Question 20

Carrying nerve inputs to the brain

Answer 20

Olfactory nerve

Question 21

Providing resonance for the voice

Answer 21

Sinuses

Question 22

Connecting the nasopharynx to the middle ear

Answer 22

Auditory Tubes

Question 23

Guarding the entrance of the larynx

Answer 23

Epiglottis

Question 24

Write the correct sequence of the organs of the respiratory system.

1. Trachea
2. Larynx
3. Epiglottis
4. Nasal Cavity
5. Alveolar sac
6. Nasopharynx

Answer 24

4. Nasal Cavity
5. Nasopharynx
6. Epiglottis
7. Larynx
8. Trachea
9. Alveolar sac

Question 25

What are the processes of respiration?

Answer 25

Respiration refers to three processes:

• Ventilation(breathing)
• Gas exchange (in the alveoli of the lungs and in the cells of the body)
• Transportation of oxygen and carbon dioxide (for metabolism, body processes, and waste removal).

Question 26

What are the effects of aging on the respiratory system?

Answer 26

The effects of aging on the respiratory system are as
follows:

• organs lose elasticity
• chest walls become stiffer
• lungs cannot expand as much
• less air is exchanged with each breath
• greater susceptibility to respiratory disorders.

Question 27

What are the two types of respiration?

Answer 27

The two types of respiration are external respiration
(exchange of oxygen for carbon dioxide within the
alveoli of the lungs) and internal or cellular respiration (exchange of oxygen for carbon dioxide within
the cells).

Question 28

What is the nasal septum, and what is its function?

Answer 28

• The nasal septum, a structure consisting of boneand cartilage, divides the internal nose into twosides or cavities.
• The nerve endings in the septum and in the nasal passages are responsible for the sense of smell.

Question 29

How many sets of tonsils can be found in the oropharynx, and where they are located?

Answer 29

Two sets of tonsils are in the oropharynx. The two
palatine tonsils are located posteriorly, on each side
of the oral cavity. The palatine tonsils are the ones
commonly removed during tonsillectomy. The
lingual tonsils are located at the base of the tongue.
Both sets of tonsils aid in destroying foreign
substances that are inhaled or ingested.

Question 30

A client has been admitted to the healthcare center with a sinus problem. What are the sinuses, and how do they get infected?

Answer 30

Four cavities called sinuses are found on each side
of the nasal area (a total of eight sinuses). Mucosa
that is continuous with the nasal mucosa lines
these sinuses. Sinuses lighten the skull and provide
resonance for the voice. The names of the sinuses correspond with the facial bones in which they are
situated. The two largest sinuses are the frontal
sinuses (one on each side above the eye socket) and
the maxillary sinuses (one on each side of the nose,
in conjunction with the maxillary bone). The ethmoidal sinuses lie between the eyes, and the sphenoidal sinuses lie on each side of the nasal cavity in
the area of the orbit (eye socket). The sinuses drain
directly into the nasal cavities, which drain into the
throat. Because of the direct connection between
the sinus cavities and the nasal mucosa, infection
in one area can easily spread to another.

Question 31

A client who had been involved in a serious accident has suffered a puncture wound to the chest. Why is it important that this wound be closed immediately?

Answer 31

Normal breathing occurs as a result of nervous
stimulation of the respiratory center in the brain’s
medulla. Because the lungs cannot move by
themselves, the actions of the muscles surrounding
them inflate and deflate them. The medulla sends
impulses to the diaphragm and the intercostal
muscles. The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle
that separates the thoracic and abdominal cavities.
It contracts and flattens to increase chest space and
create a vacuum. The intercostal muscles are located
between the ribs; they contract to lift and spread
the ribs during inhalation, adding to the vacuum.
Any interruption in the closed chest can be
immediately life-threatening, because it disrupts
the vacuum necessary for inspiration. Therefore, a
puncture wound or other opening into the chest
must be immediately closed, to prevent death.

Question 32

A nurse is conducting a session in the respiratory system for a group of students. how will they explain what inhalation is? what are the percentages of oxygen and carbon dioxide in exhaled air?

Answer 32

Ventilation (breathing) is the mechanical process of
respiration that moves air to and from the alveoli.
Ventilation is divided into inhalation and exhalation. Breathing air in is called inhalation or inspiration. The air a person breathes in contains approximately 21% O 2 and 0.4% CO 2 : normally, this provides ample oxygen for a person’s needs. The air that is exhaled contains approximately
16% oxygen and 4.5% carbon dioxide

Question 33

A nurse on their rounds notices that a client who had been eating their food rather hastily has begun to cough. What could the reason be for the cough?

Answer 33

The larynx serves as an air passageway between the
pharynx and the trachea. Although the pharynx
acts as a dual passageway for air and food, only air
is allowed to pass into the larynx. A lid or cover of
cartilage, called the epiglottis (“trap door cartilage”),
guards the entrance to the larynx. The epiglottis
automatically closes when a person swallows,
preventing food from entering the lower respiratory
passage. If a person is eating hastily, food can
accidentally lodge itself in the larynx. Coughing
helps to dislodge the food from the larynx.