Chapter 3 The Cardiorespiratory System Flashcards
What is the Cardiorespiratory System?
A system of the body composed of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems
What is the Cardiovascular System?
A system of the body composed of the heart, blood, and blood vessels
What is the Mediastinum?
The space in the chest between the lungs that contains all the internal organs of the chest except the lungs
What is the Sinoatrial (SA) Node?
A specialized area of cardiac tissue, located in the right atrium of the heart, which initiates the electrical impulses that determine the heart rate; often termed the pacemaker for the heart
What is the Atrioventricular (AV) Node?
A small mass of specialized cardiac muscle fibers, located in the wall of the right atrium of the heart, that receives heartbeat impulses from the sinoatrial node and directs them to the walls of the ventricles
What is the Atrium?
The superior chamber of the heart that receives blood from the veins and forces it into the ventricles
What are the Ventricles?
The inferior chamber of the heart that receives blood from its corresponding atrium and, in turn, forces blood into the arteries
What is the Stroke Volume?
The amount of blood pumped out of the heart with each contraction
What is the Cardiac Output?
The heart rate x stroke volume, the overall performance of the heart
What are Arteries?
Vessels that transport blood away from the heart
What are Capillaries?
The smallest blood vessels, and the site of exchange of chemicals and water between the blood and the tissues
What are Veins?
Vessels that transport blood from the capillaries toward the heart
What are Arterioles?
Small terminal branches of an artery, which end in capillaries
What are Venules?
The very small veins that connect capillaries to the larger veins
What is the Respiratory System?
A system of organs that collects oxygen from the external environment and transports it to the bloodstream
What is the Respiratory Pump?
It is composed of skeletal structures and soft tissues that work together to allow proper respiratory mechanics to occur and help pump blood back to the heart during inspiration
What is Inspiration?
The process of actively contracting the inspiratory muscles to move air into the body
What is Expiration?
The process of actively or passively relaxing the inspiratory muscles to move air out of the body
What is Diffusion?
The process of getting oxygen from the environment to the tissues of the body
What is Maximal Oxygen Consumption (VO2 max)?
The highest rate of oxygen transport and utilization achieve at maximal physical exertion
