Physics 2003 Flashcards
A fixed performance oxygen delivery system can be obtained with:
- an O2 tent
- a venturi system
- a t-piece suppled by a FGF of 3 times the tidal volume
- by use of a demand valve
- with a Mapleson A circuit with a FGF equal to minute volume
TTFTT
Concerning the transfer of heat:
- boiling involves transfer of heat without a change in temperature
- an adiabatic change retains the heat of reaction within the system
- a body with a high heat capacity will transfer heat to one with a low heat capacity at the same temperature
- radiation is proportional to the fourth power of the absolute temperature
- the response time of a thermometer increases with it’s heat capacity
TTFTT
- adiabatic change to the volume of a gas involves no transfer of heat to or from the system
- transfer of heat requires a temperature gradient
- radiation is proportional to AT4
When gas flow is laminar, the flow rate depends on the:
- square of the radius
- pressure drop along the tube
- viscosity of the gas
- length of tube
- density of gas
FTTTF
The following are true of nerve stimulators:
- applied electrical potential is as high as 150V
- tetanic stimulus is a set frequency of 50Hz
- TOF involves a pulse duration of 200ms and a frequency of 2Hz
- higher electrical potentials are necessary if subcut electrodes are used
- the apparatus uses a square wave electrical signal
TTTFT
Concerning the measurement of temperature:
- one Kelvin is 1/273.16 of the thermodynamic temperature of the triple point of water
- the triple point of water is at -0.05C
- alcohol thermometers are unsuitable for high temperature as alcohol boils at 55C
- mercury solidifies at -39C
- more than 2 mins are necessary for thermal equilibration to be achieved with a mercury thermometer
TFFTT
BP of alcohol is 78C
When considering heat loss from the body during anaesthesia:
- conduction is the most important mechanism
- convection is decreased when the air next to the body is warm
- radiation is decreased by aluminium foil blankets
- respiration accounts for 30% of the total heat loss
- the cooling effect of sweating is decreased when the relative humidity increases
FTTFT
With laminar flow, when the diameter of the tube is doubled the flow rate will increase in direct proportion to:
- the density of the gas
- the pressure difference across the tube
- barometric pressure
- ambient pressure
- viscosity of the gas
FTFFF
A thermistor:
- responds more quickly to temperature change than a mercury in glass thermometer
- can be used in the measurement of blood flow
- has a linear response of resistance change with temperature
- is well suited to the measurement of small temperature changes
- has a very large thermal capacity
TTFTF
- thermistors consist of a small bead of metal oxide, with low thermal capacity, high sensitivity and fast response time
- resistance falls exponentially as temperature rises
- thermistor responds more quickly to changes in temperature than a thermocouple
- thermistors response is non-linear but they are suitable for detecting small temperature changes and have a small thermal capacity
In a rotameter:
- the bobbin must not rotate
- the rotameter is read from the bottom of the bobbin
- the tube must be vertical
- static electricity is a cause of inaccuracy
- the flowmeters are gas specific
FFTTT
The following are true of biological potentials:
- the normal signal amplitude of the ECG is of the order of 5-10mV
- recordings are normally a display of the difference in potential between 2 electrodes
- the frequency distribution of an ECG signal is 0.5 - 80Hz
- the EMG can cause interference on the ECG
- the EEG does not interfere with the ECG
FTTTT
pH = pK + log (HCO3-/ alpha PCO2). In this equation:
- the p in the pH and pK indicate a partial pressure
- the term HCO3- refers to the standard bicarbonate
- pK varies with temperature
- alpha varies with temperature
- substitution of another acid and it’s radical (eg phosphate) would not alter the value of pK
FFTTF
- the p indicates a negative logarithmic function
- the P in PCO2 indicates partial pressure
- the bicarbonate in the equation is actual bicarbonate
- both pK and alpha depend on the dissociation of a weak acid, this is a temperature dependent process
- since pK is the pH at which the weak acid is half dissociated, it will depend on the acid involved
The conventional oxygen fail-safe mechanism of anaesthetic machines:
- is pressure sensitive
- eliminates the possibility of anoxic gas mix
- cuts off all gas flows when activated
- is flow sensitive
- depends on an intact electrical supply to the machine
TFFFF
Laplace’s Law:
- relates tension to the square root of the radius
- is applicable to structures with high compliance
- implies that interconnecting bubbles stabilise to equalise radii
- needs the length of tube to be known when applied to a tubular structure
- can be used to calculate MAP
FTFFF
P = 2T/R
Laplace’s Law
(for a tube P = T/R, therefore length is not required)
The critical temperature of a gas is the temperature:
- at which it’s pressure is the critical pressure
- at which freezing takes place
- at which the attraction between the molecules is negligible
- above which it cannot be liquefied by pressure alone
- at which Boyle’s law is perfectly obeyed
FFFTF
- as gases cool the attraction between molecules is increased and their behaviour deviates from the gas laws
- the critical pressure is the vapour pressure of a substance at it’s critical temperature
Gas chromatography:
- uses the principle of selective retardation of the passage of gases through a tube
- can be used to detect enflurane
- measures individual components in a mix of gases
- uses CO2 as a carrier gas
- is unsuitable for detecting N2O
TTTFF
- very accurate method of analysing a discrete sample of gas
- a small sample of unknown gas mix is injected into a stream of inert carrier gas (helium/nitrogen) flowing through a column of liquid coated particles (stationary phase)
- as the gas flows through the column the component gases are slowed down according to their solubility in the stationary phase liquid and are separated out by the end of the column where they can be analyzed by a non-specific gas analyzer
- the gases are identified by the comparison of the time lags of the different peaks with those of known gas samples; their concentrations are given by the height of the peaks
Helium:
- has a viscosity similar to oxygen
- is stored as a liquid in cylinders
- when inhaled causes voice changes
- decreases the work of breathing in bronchospasm
- supports combustion
TFTFF
- helium is stored as a gas in brown cylinders at 137 bar
- helium is less dense than nitrogen and therefore useful in reducing WOB where obstruction of the airway produces turbulent flow, eg upper airway obstruction, by reducing Reynolds number and promoting laminar flow
- not useful in bronchospasm because flow in the alveolar bronchioles is already mainly laminar
- inert gas so doesn’t support combustion