Lungs and Smoking

Question 1

What addictive drug is in cigarettes?

Answer 1

Nicotine

Question 2

How does smoking have an affect on air passages?

Answer 2

Cilia hairs line our air passages and their purpose is to remove mucus from the body. However, because cigarette smoke damages cilia hairs: smokers have a great build up of mucus as the cilia hairs do not function properly and have the “smokers cough”

Question 3

What are the effects of smoking on the alveoli?

Answer 3

Smoking damages the walls of the alveoli, causing them to break down. In order to repair, they join together- but this forms large air spaces. This reduces the efficiency of gas exchange as there is a smaller surface area and therefore oxygen is obtained with difficulty. This makes exercising and breathing difficult for smokers.

Question 4

Why is the circulatory system under strain for smokers?

Answer 4

The carbon monoxide produced from smoking combines with the haemoglobin in the red blood cells, reducing the uptake of oxygen. This increases the risk of coronary heart disease and strokes.

Question 5

What vein transports blood from the brain and body to the heart?

Answer 5

The vena cava

Question 6

What problems do smoking cause?

Answer 6

Lung disease, heart disease and certain cancers.

Question 7

What name associates with the liver?

Answer 7

Hepatic.

Question 8

What word associates with the kidneys?

Answer 8

Renal

Question 9

What does the word “pulmonary” refer to?

Answer 9

The lungs system.

Question 10

What happens when we breathe in?

Answer 10

1) Our external intercostal muscles and diaphragm contract.
2) Our rib cage and sternum move upwards and outwards.
3) The volume of our thorax increase, causing a decrease in pressure.
= Air is sucked in.

Question 11

What happens when we breathe out?

Answer 11

1) Our external intercostal muscles and diaphragm relax.
2) The ribcage and sternum move downwards and inwards.
3) The volume of our thorax decreases and the pressure decreases.
= air is pushed out.

Question 12

How does smoking affect the arteries?

Answer 12

Smoking damages the lining of the arteries and this causes fatty deposits to line the arteries. This reduces the amount of blood flowing and so less oxygen and nutrients are transported around the body. This cause the heart to pump faster, and with narrower arteries, there is an increase in pressure= increased risk of a heart attack/ stroke.

Question 13

What effect does smoking have on the red blood cells?

Answer 13

Red blood cells do not perform as well in the body of smokers. The carbon monoxide from smoking combines with the haemoglobin instead of the oxygen and so the RBC do not transfer oxygen as much as they should. This causes the heart to pump faster and if it does this for a long time- cells are damaged.

Question 14

Now does nicotine affect the heart rate?

Answer 14

Nicotine is a stimulant and so it makes the body produce adrenaline- causing the heart to pump faster. This increases the heart rate and so the risk of a heart attack/ stroke is high.

Question 15

How does smoking affect the platelets?

Answer 15

Smoking causes platelets to stick together and form clots in blood vessels. This prevents oxygen and nutrients from reaching the cells behind the blood clot which results in less energy and the cells could die. This increases the risk of heart attacks and/or strokes.

Question 16

What is the overall negative of smoking?

Answer 16

Smoking causes an increase in heart rate and pressure. Because of this, the heart may switch to anaerobic respiration and if this happens for a long time/ often, then there will be a build up of lactic acid. This new pH is too acidic for the enzymes in our body and so it denatures them.

Question 17

How does gas exchange occur?

Answer 17

Blood arriving in the alveoli has a higher carbon dioxide concentration which is produced during respiration by the body’s cells. However, the air in the alveoli has a much lower concentration of carbon dioxide, meaning there is a concentration gradient which allows carbon dioxide to diffuse out of the blood and into the alveolar air.
Similarly, blood arriving in the alveoli has a lower oxygen concentration, while the air in the alveoli has a higher oxygen concentration. Therefore, oxygen moves into the blood by diffusion and combines with the haemoglobin in red blood cells to form oxyhaemoglobin.

Question 18

How has the alveoli adapted to its function?

Answer 18

• They are folded, which gives a greater surface area for gas exchange to occur.
• The walls of the alveoli are only one cell thick which shorten the diffusion distance.
• Each alveolus is surrounded by blood capillaries which ensure a good blood supply and helps maintain the maximum concentration gradient between the blood and the air in the alveoli.
• Each alveolus is ventilated, which helps maintain the maximum concentration gradient between the blood and the air in the alveoli.