LO2: Respiratory System Flashcards
What is the larynx?
Connects back of the nose and trachea, forms an air passage to the lungs
What is the trachea?
Also known as the windpipe, starts at the back of the throat and divides into two bronchi. A tube that has rings of cartilage to stop them collapsing.
What is the bronchi?
There are two bronchi which lead into the lungs and divide to form smaller bronchioles. Tube that has rings of cartilage to prevent it from collapsing to keep air passage open.
What are the bronchioles?
The smallest airways which lead to tiny air sacs called alveoli
What are the alveoli?
Sacs found in clusters where the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen takes place. Surrounded by a network of capillaries for gas exchange to happen
What is the diaphragm?
Located below the lungs, dome shaped muscle that contracts and flattens and the chest cavity enlarged during inhalation, the diaphragm relaxes when you exhale
What is the intercostal muscles?
Muscles found between the ribs
What is the pleural membrane?
Cover the outside of the lungs and line the inside of the chest wall
The role of the pleural membrane during inspiration and expiration
Consist of two layers of thin membrane, they are moist and slippery, have a thin film between them. Lubricates the surface so the two pleural layers will slide over each other means they move with the chest wall when breathing occurs
The role of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles during inspiration
The intercostal muscles pull rib cage upwards and outwards and the diaphragm flattens inwards. Results in an increase in volume and a decrease in pressure, forces air into lungs so they inflate
The role of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles during expiration
The diaphragm lifts back into a dome shape and the intercostal muscles pull rib cage inwards and downwards, force carbon dioxide out of the lungs and they deflate
What is Gaseous Exchange?
Process that involves the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between capillaries and alveoli.
What is the role and structure of the alveoli walls?
Exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place in the alveoli, the walls of the alveoli are very thin (one cell thick) and each alveoli is surrounded by capilliaries where gas is exchanged.
Structure of alveoli are like clusters/bunch of grapes which increases the surface area to allow maximum crossover or diffusion of the two gases back and forth to make the process efficient
Diffusion allows oxygen to move out of the alveoli to capillaries and into the bloodstream and the carbon dioxide to move out of the capillaries into the alveoli and to the lungs to be exhaled.
What is Diffusion?
Movement of molecules from area of high concentration to an area of low concentration. Also the case with gases and for particles dissolved in solutions.
What are the Diffusion gradients fo gaseious exchange?
Capillaries have lower concentration of oxygen then the alveoli, results in the diffusion of oxygen from an area of higher concentration (alveoli) to an area of lower concentration in the red blood cells (capillaries)
What is Adenosphine triphosphate?
High energy molecule found in every cell, job is to store and supply the cell with energy it needs, sometimes called energy currency of the body.
What role does the mitochondria play in cellular respiration?
Cellular respiration is complex set of chemical reactions and processes that take plce in the mitochondria to convert biochemical energy from nutrients into ATP and then release waste products
What are the two types of respiration?
Aerobic (uses oxygen)
Anaerobic (does not need oxygen)
What is Aerobic respiration?
Oxygen and glucose are required for aerobic respiration, produces waste carbon dioxide and water as well as providing energy
Suar called glucose from our food is broken down into water and carbon dioxide and the energy that was holding the glucose molecule together is released.
What is the equation for Aerobic respiration?
Glucose + oxygen - Carbon dioxide + water + energy
What is Glycosis?
Takes place in cytoplasm, breakdown of glucose into pyruvate/ pyruvic acid, produces two molecules of ATP, pyruvate can be used in aerobic and anaerobic respiration
If oxygen is available pyruvate passes into mitochondria, goes through complex series of reactions, leads to alot more energy being provided and more ATP being generated
What is Anaerobic respiration?
Takes place if oxygen is not available but provides less energy, usually occurs in lower plants and microorganisms, glucose derived from food is broken down into alcohol and carbon dioxide along with production of energy
What is the equation for Anaerobic respiration?
Glucose - (2ATP) - pyruvate - lactate
What are the Respiratory malfunctions?
Asthma
Emphysema
Cystic Fibrosis
What are the symptoms of Asthma?
Recurring episodes of breathlessness, tightness of chest and wheezing
Asthma attacks- epidsodes of wheezing which require the use of and inhaler to open the airway
What are the causes/ triggers of asthma?
Caused by inflammation of the breathing tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs,
Can also be triggered by:
Allergies
Smoke, pollution and cold air
Exercise
Infections like colds or flu
What is the biological explanation for asthma?
Inflammation of the bronchi, causing bronchi to be more sensitive than normal
Contact with allergens or something that irritates the lungs, makes airways become narrow, muscles around them tighten, is an increase in production of sticky mucus (phlegm)
What lifestyle effects does asthma have?
Using inhaler or inhaler tablets everyday depending on severity
Checking befor taking other types of medication
Not smoking
Exercising regularly
Eating healthily
What are the symptoms of Emphysema?
Shortness of breath, wheezing
Yellow sputum
Persistent cough never seems to go away
Frquent chest infections
Symptoms get worse over time
What is the biological explanation of Emphysema?
Airway of the lungs becom inflamed and narrowed, as alveolis get permanently damaged becomes increasingly difficult to breathe out
What are the causes of Emphysema?
Smoking
Certain types of fumes, dust and chemical exposure
Genetic tendency but is very rare
How does Emphysema affect lifestyle?
Reduced physical activity
Impaired sleep
Increased anxiety and depression
What are the symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis?
Recurring chest infections, persistent inflammation of the airways, coughing, wheezing shortness of breath
Diarrhoea, diabetes, malnutrition, jaundice
Serious bowel obstruction first few days of life
What is the biological explanation for Cystic Fibrosis?
Defect in a gene on chromosome 7 which controls movement of salt and water in and out of the cells in the body, protein that is produced by gene causs mucus secreting cells to make very sticky type of mucus.
What is the cause of Cystic Fibrosis?
Both parents must have a copy of faulty gene.
What are the lifestyle impacts of Cystic Fibrosis?
Ongoing lung infections
Harder to breathe overtime
May need to take inhaled antibiotics
Physical, emotional and financial stress
