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Life Sciences > Gaseous Exchange > Flashcards

Gaseous Exchange Flashcards

1
Q

What is the process of moving air in and out of the lungs called?

A

Breathing

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2
Q

What is the movement of gases across a respiratory surface known as?

A

Gaseous exchange

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3
Q

What is cellular respiration?

A

The release of energy from food when it is broken down in the mitochondria

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4
Q

Why is oxygen important for respiration?

A

It is needed for the oxidation of food to produce energy

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5
Q

What happens to carbon dioxide when it mixes with water?

A

It becomes carbonic acid

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6
Q

How does an increase in carbonic acid affect the body’s pH?

A

It lowers the body’s pH

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7
Q

What is one requirement of a gaseous exchange surface area?

A

Large surface area

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8
Q

What is another requirement of a gaseous exchange surface area?

A

Thin surface

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9
Q

What is a third requirement of a gaseous exchange surface area?

A

Moist surface

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10
Q

What is the function of the nose in respiration?

A

To provide adequate ventilation and protection for cells

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11
Q

What do the nasal passages do to the air before it reaches the lungs?

A

Moisten, filter, and warm the air

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12
Q

What do the hairs in the nostrils prevent?

A

Foreign particles from entering

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13
Q

What is the role of the mucous membrane in the air passages?

A

It secretes mucus and contains cilia to collect dust, bacteria, and air particles

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14
Q

What is the sticky fluid secreted by the mucous membrane called?

A

Mucus

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15
Q

What does the term ‘mucous’ refer to?

A

It is an adjective describing the membrane

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16
Q

What is found under the mucous membrane in the nasal passages?

A

A large number of capillaries

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17
Q

What is the function of the blood within the capillaries in the nose?

A

To help warm the air as it passes through the nose

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18
Q
A
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19
Q
A
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20
Q

What is the pharynx commonly referred to as?

A

Throat

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21
Q

What is the larynx also known as?

A

Voice box

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22
Q

What type of tissue mainly constructs the larynx?

A

Cartilage

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23
Q

What are the two pairs of membranes stretched across the inside of the larynx called?

A

Vocal chords

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24
Q

What happens to the vocal chords when air is expired?

A

They vibrate

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25
Q

What prevents food and liquids from entering the larynx?

A

Epiglottis

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26
Q

What is the trachea commonly known as?

A

Windpipe

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27
Q

What is the approximate length of the trachea?

A

12 cm

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28
Q

What is the approximate width of the trachea?

A

2.5 cm

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29
Q

What keeps the trachea open?

A

Cartilage rings

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30
Q

What lines the trachea?

A

Ciliated mucous membrane

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31
Q

What do the cilia in the trachea do?

A

Move mucus and trapped foreign matter to the pharynx

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32
Q

What are the two tubes called that the trachea divides into?

A

Bronchi

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33
Q

What type of cells line the bronchi?

A

Ciliated cells

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34
Q

What do the bronchi enter?

A

Lungs

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35
Q

What is the structure that the bronchial tubes eventually form?

A

Bronchioles

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36
Q

What are the tiny air chambers at the end of bronchioles called?

A

Alveoli

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37
Q

What do the walls of the alveoli allow for?

A

Exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide

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38
Q

What surrounds the alveoli?

A

Capillaries

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39
Q

Fill in the blank: The walls of the alveoli are about ______ thick.

A

One cell

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40
Q

True or False: The epiglottis allows food and liquids to enter the larynx.

41
Q

What is the shape of the alveoli compared to?

A

A bunch of grapes

43
Q

How many lungs are there in the human body?

44
Q

What surrounds the lungs?

A

Twelve pairs of ribs

45
Q

What is located in the space between the two lungs?

46
Q

What type of organs are the lungs?

A

Spongy, elastic

47
Q

What color are the lungs?

A

Pinkish-red

48
Q

What surrounds the lungs?

A

A double membrane called the pleura

49
Q

What is the function of the fluid between the pleura membranes?

A

Prevents friction and pain during breathing

50
Q

How many lobes does the right lung have?

A

Three lobes

51
Q

How many lobes does the left lung have?

52
Q

Which lung is wider?

A

The right lung

53
Q

Why is the right lung shorter than the left lung?

A

The liver pushes up the diaphragm on the right side

54
Q

What is the diaphragm?

A

A sheet of muscle that separates the thorax from the abdomen

55
Q

Fill in the blank: The lungs are surrounded by a double membrane called the _______.

56
Q

True or False: The left lung has three lobes.

57
Q

What is the primary function of the intercostal muscles?

A

Assist in breathing by expanding and contracting the rib cage

58
Q

What is the main role of the lungs in the respiratory system?

A

Facilitate gas exchange

60
Q

What do each living cell in your body need for cellular respiration?

A

Oxygen

Each cell requires oxygen to produce energy through cellular respiration.

61
Q

What waste product needs to be removed from each cell?

A

Carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide is a byproduct of cellular respiration that must be expelled from the body.

62
Q

What is the first step in the pathway of gases from the air outside to each cell?

A

Ventilation of the lungs

This process involves the movement of air into and out of the lungs.

63
Q

What is the second step in the pathway of gases after ventilation?

A

Gaseous exchange in the alveoli

This occurs in the alveoli, where oxygen is absorbed into the blood and carbon dioxide is released.

64
Q

What is the third step in the gas exchange pathway?

A

Internal transport of gases

This involves the movement of oxygen and carbon dioxide through the bloodstream.

65
Q

What is the final step in the gas exchange pathway?

A

Gaseous exchange in the cells

This is where oxygen is used in cellular respiration, and carbon dioxide is produced.

67
Q

What is the role of intercostal muscles during inhalation?

A

Intercostal muscles contract, causing the ribs to move up and out.

68
Q

What happens to the diaphragm during inhalation?

A

The diaphragm contracts and becomes flatter.

69
Q

What occurs to the volume of the chest cavity during inhalation?

A

The volume of the chest cavity increases.

70
Q

What is the result of the pressure change in the chest cavity during inhalation?

A

Pressure inside the sealed cavity decreases.

71
Q

What is the process of air movement into the lungs called?

A

Inhalation.

72
Q

List the steps involved in exhalation.

A
  • Intercostal muscles relax, ribs move down and in
  • Diaphragm relaxes, becomes dome-shaped
  • Volume of chest cavity decreases
  • Air pressure inside cavity increases
  • Air is forced out of the lungs.
73
Q

What is tidal air?

A

Air that flows in and out of the lungs during breathing.

74
Q

What is residual volume?

A

Air that remains behind at the end of the bronchioles and alveoli.

75
Q

What is the diffusion gradient for oxygen between the alveolus and blood?

A

Partial pressure of oxygen in the alveolus is 104 mm Hg and in the blood vessels is 40 mm Hg.

76
Q

What happens to oxygen in the blood after it diffuses from the alveolus?

A

Oxygen dissolves in plasma or bonds with hemoglobin in erythrocytes to form oxyhemoglobin.

77
Q

What is the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the blood capillaries surrounding the alveoli?

78
Q

What is the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the alveoli?

79
Q

What is the role of the alveoli in gaseous exchange?

A

Alveoli provide a large surface area, are well-ventilated, and are richly supplied with blood vessels.

80
Q

Fill in the blank: The rib cage and its muscles can slide freely over the lungs due to the thin layer of fluid inside the _______.

A

pleural membrane.

81
Q

True or False: Tidal air can move into the alveoli.

82
Q

What helps maintain a concentration gradient in the alveoli?

A

They are well-ventilated.

83
Q

What prevents the alveoli from drying out?

A

They are permanently moist.

84
Q

What is the shape of the diaphragm at rest?

A

Dome-shaped.

85
Q

Describe the function of alveoli in gas exchange.

A

Alveoli facilitate the quick diffusion of gases due to their thin walls and large surface area.

87
Q

What is the primary component of blood that carries oxygen?

A

Erythrocytes

Erythrocytes are specialized cells that contain haemoglobin.

88
Q

How is oxygen transported in the blood?

A

Dissolved in plasma or as oxyhaemoglobin

Oxyhaemoglobin is formed when oxygen bonds with haemoglobin.

89
Q

What is the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in blood capillaries compared to the alveoli?

A

45 mm Hg in capillaries, 40 mm Hg in alveoli

This difference in partial pressure facilitates diffusion.

90
Q

What process allows carbon dioxide to move from blood capillaries to the alveoli?

A

Diffusion

Carbon dioxide moves following the concentration gradient.

91
Q

What three ways can carbon dioxide be transported in the blood?

A
  • As bicarbonate ions dissolved in plasma
  • Combined with haemoglobin as carbaminohaemoglobin
  • Dissolved in the cytoplasm of red blood corpuscles

Approximately 60% of CO2 is transported as bicarbonate ions.

92
Q

What happens to oxyhaemoglobin in tissues with low oxygen levels?

A

It breaks down into oxygen and haemoglobin

The released oxygen is then used by the cells.

93
Q

What is the color change of blood as it loses oxygen?

A

Darker in color

This is due to the loss of oxygen from oxyhaemoglobin.

94
Q

What is the chemical reaction when water combines with carbon dioxide?

A

Forms carbonic acid

Carbonic acid can dissociate to form bicarbonate ions.

95
Q

What maintains the concentration gradient for gas exchange in cells?

A

High partial pressure of O2 and low partial pressure of CO2 in arriving blood

This encourages efficient diffusion of gases.

96
Q

What is the effect of acidosis in tissue fluid on oxygen release?

A

Encourages oxygen to break its bond with haemoglobin

This process helps deliver oxygen where it is needed.

97
Q

Fill in the blank: Carbon dioxide is mostly transported in the blood as _______.

A

Bicarbonate ions

About 60% of CO2 is transported in this form.

Life Sciences (2 decks)

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