Chapter 15 - Respiratory System

Question 1

pharynx

Answer 1

The hollow tube inside the neck that starts behind the nose and ends at the top of the trachea (windpipe) and esophagus (the tube that goes to the stomach).
Because of its location behind the nasal cavities and mouth, it functions as part of both the respiratory and digestive systems. Air must pass through the pharynx on its way to the lungs, and food must pass through it on its way to the stomach.

Question 2

larynx

Answer 2

The area of the throat containing the vocal cords and used for breathing, swallowing, and talking. Also called voice box.

Question 3

trachea

Answer 3

The airway that leads from the larynx (voice box) to the bronchi (large airways that lead to the lungs). Also called windpipe.

Question 4

bronchi (singular: bronchus)

Answer 4

either of the two primary divisions of the trachea that lead respectively into the right and the left lung

Question 5

bronchioles

Answer 5

The tiny branch of air tubes within the lungs that is a continuation of the bronchus

Question 6

respiratory tract

Answer 6

The organs that are involved in breathing, divided into two parts:
The upper respiratory tract is composed of the nose, pharynx, and larynx.
The lower respiratory tract consists of the trachea, all segments of the bronchial tree, and the lungs.

Question 7

upper respiratory infection (URI)

Answer 7

A common viral infection that affects the nose, throat, and airways.
Often called the common cold.

Question 8

lower respiratory infection

Answer 8

Infections in the lungs or below the voice box. These include pneumonia, bronchitis, and tuberculosis. A lower respiratory tract infection can affect the airways, such as with bronchitis, or the air sacs at the end of the airways, as in the case of pneumonia.

Question 9

respiratory mucosa

Answer 9

the membrane that lines most of the air distribution tubes in the respiratory system

Question 10

mucociliary escalator

Answer 10

Also called mucociliary clearance (MCC), mucociliary transport, or ciliary escalator.
It is the self-clearing mechanism of the airways in the respiratory system. A cleansing layer of mucus containing inhaled contaminants moves upward to the pharynx from the lower portions of the bronchial tree on the millions of hairlike cilia that beat or move only in one direction.
It is one of the two protective processes for the lungs in removing inhaled particles including pathogens before they can reach the delicate tissue of the lungs. The other clearance mechanism is provided by the cough reflex.

Question 11

external nares

Answer 11

another name for the nostrils, which are the two external openings of the nasal cavity (the hole, not the nose itself)

Question 12

sinusitis

Answer 12

Also called a sinus infection.
An inflammation of the paranasal sinuses that can cause them to get blocked and filled with fluid. It is usually caused by cold or allergies. An infection could result from the blockage.

Question 13

paranasal sinuses

Answer 13

A group of four paired air-filled spaces that surround the nasal cavity:
The maxillary sinuses are located under the eyes
The frontal sinuses are above the eyes
The ethmoidal sinuses are between the eyes
The sphenoidal sinuses are behind the eyes.
(The sinuses are named for the facial bones in which they are located.)

Question 14

nasal concha (plural: conchae)

Answer 14

also called a nasal turbinate or turbinal
It is a long, narrow, curled shelf of bone that protrudes into the breathing passage of the nose in humans and various animals
In humans, the conchae divide the nasal airway into four groove-like air passages, and are responsible for forcing inhaled air to flow in a steady, regular pattern around the largest possible surface area of nasal mucosa. As a ciliated (possessing cilia) mucous membrane with shallow blood supply, the nasal mucosa cleans and warms the inhaled air in preparation for the lungs.

Question 15

booger

Answer 15

also called dried nasal mucus
colloquially known as a boogie, bogey, snot, or bogie
Boogers are made up of mucus that has collected particles of dust, pollen, bacteria, and other substances and drained into your nose, where exposure to the air has dried it.
The mucous membranes in the nasal cavity constantly produce a wet mucus that lines the cavity and removes dust and pathogens from the air flowing through. For the most part, the cilia that also line the cavity work to move the mucus down the nasal cavity to the pharynx where it can be swallowed. Not all of the mucus stays fluid enough to be moved by the cilia. The closer the mucus is to being in the nasal vestibule and near the nostril opening, the more moisture it loses to the outside air, and the more likely it is to dry out and become stuck.

Question 16

nasal vestibule

Answer 16

The area just inside the nostril (nose opening) that leads into the nasal cavity. The nasal vestibule is supported by the cartilage of the nose and lined with tissue that contains small, course hairs.

Question 17

three portions of the pharynx

Answer 17

(arranged from top to bottom)
The uppermost part of the tube just behind the nasal cavities is called the nasopharynx. The middle portion behind the mouth is called the oropharynx.
The last or lowest segment is called the laryngopharynx.

Question 18

laryngeal skeleton

Answer 18

a term for the nine pieces of cartilage that structure the larynx

The laryngeal skeleton consists of nine cartilages:
three single (epiglottic, thyroid and cricoid) [3]
and three paired (arytenoid, corniculate, and cuneiform) [6]

(The thyroid cartilage forms the Adam’s apple [also called the laryngeal prominence]. It is usually larger in males than in females.)

Question 19

vocal cords

Answer 19

Also called vocal folds or voice reeds.
Two short fibrous bands that stretch across the interior of the larynx. They are key to producing speech. Muscles that attach to the larynx cartilages can pull on these cords in such a way that they become tense or relaxed. When they are tense, the voice is high pitched; when they are relaxed, it is low pitched.

Question 20

glottis

Answer 20

the opening between the vocal cords

Question 21

epiglottis

Answer 21

A piece of cartilage that partially covers the opening of the larynx. The epiglottis acts like a trapdoor, closing off the larynx during swallowing and preventing food and liquids from entering the trachea.

Question 22

endotracheal intubation

Answer 22

The placement of a flexible plastic tube into the trachea (windpipe) to maintain an open airway or to serve as a conduit through which to administer certain drugs. It is frequently performed in critically injured, ill, or anesthetized patients to facilitate ventilation of the lungs, including mechanical ventilation, and to prevent the possibility of asphyxiation or airway obstruction.

Question 23

mechanical ventilation

Answer 23

also called assisted ventilation or intermittent mandatory ventilation (IMV)
the medical term for artificial ventilation where mechanical means are used to assist or replace spontaneous breathing

Question 24

conduit

Answer 24

(1) a natural or artificial channel through which something (such as a fluid) is conveyed
(2) a pipe, tube, or tile for protecting electric wires or cables
(3) a means of transmitting or distributing (e.g. for payments, of information)

Question 25

tracheostomy

Answer 25

an opening created at the front of the neck so a tube can be inserted into the windpipe (trachea) to help you breathe

Question 26

organization of the lungs

Answer 26

Recall that one way to picture the thousands of air passages that make up the lungs is to think of an upside-down tree.

The trachea is the main trunk of this tree.
The right bronchus (the tube leading into the right lung) and the left bronchus (thetube leading into the left lung) are the trachea’s first branches, or primary bronchi.

In each lung, they branch into smaller secondary bronchi (singular, bronchus) whose walls, as with those of the trachea and bronchi, are kept open by rings of cartilage for air passage. These bronchi divide into smaller and smaller tubes, ultimately branching into tiny tubes whose walls contain only smooth muscle. These very small passageways are called bronchioles.

The bronchioles subdivide into microscopic tubes called alveolar ducts, which resemble the main stem of a bunch of grapes. Each alveolar duct ends in several alveolar sacs, each of which resembles a cluster of grapes, and the wall of each alveolar sac is made up of numerous alveoli, each of which resembles a single, hollow grape.

Question 27

respiratory membrane

Answer 27

the structure gasses pass through to move between the alveoli in the lungs and the blood

Question 28

surfactant (respiratory system)

Answer 28

The surface of the respiratory membrane inside each alveolus is covered by a substance called surfactant. Surfactant helps reduce surface tension or “stickiness” of the watery mucus lining the alveoli—keeping the alveoli from collapsing as air moves in and out during respiration.

Question 29

infant respiratory distress syndrome (IRDS)

Answer 29

A serious, life-threatening condition that often affects prematurely born infants or those who weigh less than 2.2 kg (5 lb) at birth; it characterized by a lack of surfactant in the alveolar air sacs.
Also called neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS), hyaline membrane disease, respiratory distress syndrome of newborn, or increasingly surfactant deficiency disorder (SDD).

Question 30

lobe

Answer 30

A division of a body organ (as the brain, lungs, or liver) marked off by a fissure on the surface.

Question 31

lobes of the lung

Answer 31

There are five lobes in the lungs:
Left lung lobes [2]: superior and inferior
Right lung lobes [3]: superior, middle, and inferior

Question 32

fissure

Answer 32

(1) a narrow opening or crack of considerable length and depth usually occurring from some breaking or parting
(2) a natural cleft between body parts or in the substance of an organ
(3) a break or slit in tissue usually at the junction of skin and mucous membrane
(4) a separation or disagreement in thought or viewpoint: SCHISM

Question 33

pneumothorax

Answer 33

It is often called a collapsed lung, although a collapsed lung can also mean atelectasis.
This condition occurs when air leaks into the space between the lungs and chest wall. A blunt or penetrating chest injury, certain medical procedures, or lung disease can cause a pneumothorax.
Symptoms include shortness of breath.
When a pneumothorax is large, a needle or tube is used to remove excess air.

Question 34

atelectasis

Answer 34

It is often called a collapsed lung, although a collapsed lung can also mean pneumothorax.
It is a complete or partial collapse of the entire lung or area (lobe) of the lung. It occurs when the tiny air sacs (alveoli) within the lung become deflated or possibly filled with alveolar fluid.

Question 35

respiration

Answer 35

the exchange of gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide) between a living organism and its environment

Question 36

pulmonary ventilation

Answer 36

Pulmonary ventilation is another name for breathing. It has two phases:
Inspiration, or inhalation, moves air into the lungs, and expiration, or exhalation, moves air out of the lungs.

Question 37

external respiration vs internal respiration

Answer 37

External respiration, also known as breathing, involves both bringing air into the lungs (inhalation) and releasing air to the atmosphere (exhalation). During internal respiration, oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged between the cells and blood vessels.

Question 38

inspiratory muscles

Answer 38

Muscles used in inhaling. They are the diaphragm and external intercostals.

Question 39

intercostal muscles

Answer 39

The intercostal muscles are two thin layers of muscle fibers occupying each of the intercostal spaces. They are termed external and internal because of their surface relations, the external being superficial to the internal.

Question 40

phrenic nerve

Answer 40

A nerve that runs from the spinal cord to the diaphragm (the thin muscle below the lungs and heart that separates the chest from the abdomen). It causes the diaphragm to contract and relax, which helps control breathing.

Question 41

expiratory muscles

Answer 41

Muscles used in exhaling. They are the internal intercostal muscles and abdominal muscle.

Question 42

intercostal

Answer 42

situated between the ribs

Question 43

spirometer

Answer 43

A special device used to measure the amount of air exchanged in breathing.

Question 44

vital capacity (VC)

Answer 44

The largest volume of air that can be moved in and out during breathing.

Question 45

residual volume (RV)

Answer 45

Air that remains in the respiratory tract after a forceful expiration.

Question 46

tidal volume (TV)

Answer 46

the amount of air that moves in or out of the lungs with each respiratory cycle

Question 47

expiratory reserve volume (ERV)

Answer 47

The amount of air that can be forcibly exhaled after expiring the tidal volume.

Question 48

inspiratory reserve volume (IRV)

Answer 48

The amount of air that can be forcibly inhaled over and above a normal inhalation.

Question 49

hypoxia

Answer 49

an insufficient oxygen supply to the tissues

Question 50

respiratory center

Answer 50

(located in the medulla oblongata and pons, in the brainstem)
The respiratory center is responsible for generating and maintaining the rhythm of respiration, and also of adjusting this in homeostatic response to physiological changes.

The two most important control centers in the medulla for regulating breathing rhythm are called the ventral respiratory group (VRG) and the dorsal respiratory group (DRG). The VRG provides the basic rhythm generator for breathing. The DRG adjusts the breathing rhythm when blood pH or carbon dioxide levels change—as they would during exercise.

Several control centers in the pons—the pontine respiratory group (PRG)—seem to provide input to the DRG and thus help modulate the basic rhythm as needed under a variety of changing conditions in the body.

Question 51

eupnea

Answer 51

normal, good, unlabored breathing

sometimes known as quiet breathing or resting respiratory rate

Question 52

dyspnea

Answer 52

labored or difficult breathing

Question 53

apnea

Answer 53

temporary cessation of breathing

Question 54

respiratory arrest

Answer 54

failure to resume breathing after a prolonged period of apnea

Question 55

Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR)

Answer 55

A series of cycles of alternating apnea and hyperventilation.
CSR may also occur in critical diseases such as congestive heart failure, brain injuries, or brain tumors. CSR also may occur in the case of a drug overdose.

Question 56

hyperventilation vs hypoventilation

Answer 56

hyperventilation = rapid, deep respirations; causes decreased carbon dioxide
hypoventilation = slow, shallow respirations; causes increased carbon dioxide

Question 57

sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

Answer 57

the unexplained death, usually during sleep, of a seemingly healthy baby less than a year old

Question 58

partial pressure

Answer 58

Pressure exerted by any one gas in a mixture of gases or in a liquid; symbol used to designate partial pressure is the capital letter P preceding the chemical symbol for the gas.

Question 59

maximum oxygen consumption (Vo2max)

Answer 59

A predictor of a person’s capacity to do aerobic exercise.
An individual’s Vo2max represents the amount of oxygen taken up by the lungs, transported to the tissues, and used to do work.
Vo2max is determined largely by hereditary factors, but aerobic (endurance) training can increase it by as much as 35%. Many endurance athletes are now using Vo2max measurements to help them determine and then maintain their peak condition.
(Note: Vo2 is V followed by the chemical symbol for dioxygen, which is basically the oxygen we breathe.)