exercise physiology 🫀🫁🩺🌬

Question 1

list the principle structures of the ventilatory system 👃🏼👄🫁

Answer 1

nose, mouth, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, lungs & alveoli

Question 2

outline the functions of the conducting airways 🌬

Answer 2

• low resistance pathway for airflow
• defence against chemicals and other inhaled harmful substances
• warming & moistening the air

Question 3

DEFINE: pulmonary ventilation 🫁

Answer 3

inflow and outflow of air between the atmosphere and the lungs

Question 4

DEFINE: total lung capacity 🫁

Answer 4

volume of air in the lungs after a maximum inhalation

Question 5

DEFINE: vital capacity 🌬

Answer 5

maximum volume of air that can be exhaled after a maximum inhalation

Question 6

DEFINE: tidal volume 🌊

Answer 6

volume of air breathed in and out in any one breath

Question 7

DEFINE: expiratory reserve volume 🌬

Answer 7

volume of air in excess of tidal volume that can be exhaled forcibly

Question 8

DEFINE: inspiratory reserve volume 🧘‍♀️

Answer 8

additional inspired air over and above tidal volume

Question 9

DEFINE: residual volume 😮‍💨

Answer 9

volume of air still contained in the lungs after a maximal exhalation

Question 10

explain the mechanics of ventilation in the human lungs 🫁

Answer 10

inhalation:
- external intercostal muscles contract moving the rib cage up and out
- diaphragm contracts and flattens to increase lung volume
- pressure drops and air is forced into the lungs

exhalation:
- internal intercostal muscles contract moving the rib cage down and in
- abdomen contracts pushing diaphragm up, decreasing lung volume
- pressure rises and air is forced out of the lungs

Question 11

describe nervous and chemical control of ventilation during exercise 🧠⚡️

Answer 11

chemical:
- increased carbon dioxide in the blood detected by respiratory centre
- ventilation rate and depth increases because of increases in blood acidity levels (low pH)

nervous:
- neural control includes lung stretch receptors, muscle proprioreceptors and chemoreceptors

Question 12

outline the role of hemoglobin in oxygen transportation 🩸

Answer 12

98.5% of oxygen in the blood is transported by hemoglobin as oxyhemoglobin within red blood cells

Question 13

explain the process of gaseous exchange at the alveoli 🫁

Answer 13

• diffusion occurs between the surface of alveoli and the pulmonary capillary beds
• there is a higher concentration of O2 in the alveoli than in the blood
• oxygen, once inhaled into the lungs, is passed from the alveoli to the bloodstream for distribution to the rest of the body
• there, O2 diffuses across the capillaries where there is a lower concentration
• CO2 simultaneously goes from the higher concentration in the capillaries to a low concentration in the alveoli and breathed out during exhalation

Question 14

composition of blood 🩸

Answer 14

• erythrocytes (RBC) , leukocytes (WBC), platelets (clotting) & plasma
• blood also transports electrolytes, proteins, gases, nutrients, waste products & hormones

Question 15

DEFINE: erythrocytes 🩸

Answer 15

red blood cells, carry oxygen to the body’s tissues and carries carbon dioxide to the lungs to exhale