Gas Exchange Flashcards
Gas Exchange System
Oxygen from air into your bloodstream
And
Get rid of carbon dioxide that’s in your bloodstream
Lungs
Like big pink sponges
Diaphragm
A muscle that sits underneath the rib cage. Moves up when it relaxes and down when it contracts.
This movement helps get air into your lungs
Trachea
Windpipe, air goes through it when you breathe in.
Bronchi
Trachea splits into two tubes called bronchi (each one is a ‘bronchus’) one going to each lung
Bronchioles
The bronchi split into smaller tubes called bronchioles
Alveoli
Small air sacs in the lungs at the end of the bronchioles
Where does gas exchange take place?
Alveoli inside the lungs
Why are lungs well adapted for gas exchange?
They’re moist
They have a good blood supply
The alveoli give the lungs a big inside surface
How do gases pass into or out of the bloodstream?
Diffusion
Oxygen in (for respiration) Carbon dioxide out (waste product)
How do you measure lung volume?
Machine called a spirometer, it is measured & plotted into a graph
Three different things that have an impact on the gas exchange system
Exercise
Asthma
Smoking
Impact of exercise on gas exchange system
Breathing rate & depth of breathing increase so you can get more oxygen into your blood
Muscles including your diaphragm get stronger so your chest cavity can open up more & more air can get into your lungs, The number of alveoli can increase
Asthma
Lungs are too sensitive (pet hair, pollen, dust, smoke)
