human respiratory system

Question 1

what is the function of the respiratory system?

Answer 1

• air distributor
• gas exchange
• filters, warms, and humidifies air
• influences speech
• allows for the sense of smell

Question 2

the divisions of the upper respiratory tract (outside thorax) (5)

Answer 2

• nose
• nasal cavity
• sinuses
• pharynx
• larynx

Question 3

what are the functions of the 5 upper respiratory tract divisions?

Answer 3

• passageway for respiration
• receptors for smell
• filters incoming air to filter larger foreign material
• moistens and warms incoming air
• resonating chambers for voice

Question 4

what is the structure of the nose, palatine bone, septum, sinuses and pharynx?

Answer 4

nose - warms and moistens air
palatine bone - separates nasal cavity from mouth
septum - separates right from left nostril
sinuses - one in the bone of the face connecting to the nasal cavities
pharynx’s - base of the skull to the oesophagus, changes shape to allow for vowel production

Question 5

what are the 4 lower respiratory tracts (within thorax)?

Answer 5

• trachea
• bronchial tree
• lungs
• larynx

Question 6

what is the structure of the larynx, trachea, bronchi and lungs?

Answer 6

larynx - voice box, maintains an open airway
- thyroid cartilage: adam’s apple
- epiglottis: flap of skin on trachea, moves when swallowing and speaking
trachea - transports air to and from the lungs
bronchi - tubes that branch off the trachea and enter into the lungs - primary bronchi, secondary bronchi and tertiary bronchioles
lungs - transport air into the lungs

Question 7

what is the process of breathing?

Answer 7

relaxed state: diaphragm and intercoastal muscles relaxed
inspiration: diaphragm contracts, pulling muscles down, inter coastal muscles contract elevating chest wall and expanding volume of chest, lowering pressure in lung, pulling the air in
Expiration: muscles real, diaphragm resumes dome shape, intercoastal muscles allow for chest to lower resulting in increase of pressure in chest and expulsion of air

Question 8

explain the passive process of gas exchange and transport

Answer 8

external respiration: gases exchanges between air and blood
internal respiration: gases exchanges with tissue fluids
oxygen transport: bound to haemoglobin in red blood cells or dissolved in blood plasma
carbon dioxide transport: dissolved in blood plasma, bound to haemoglobin, or in the form of plasma bicarbonate

Question 9

explain the four respiration processes

Answer 9

breathing (ventilation): air in to and out of the lungs
external respiration: gas exchange between air and blood
internal respiration: gas exchange between blood and tissues
cellular respiration: oxygen use to produce ATP, carbon dioxide as waste