Respiration Flashcards
What are the lungs and lower respiratory passages contained in?
The thorax
What is the thorax?
the part of the body between the neck and
the abdomen (“the chest”)
What make up the walls of the thorax, laterally, anteriorly, and posteriorly?
Laterally = the ribs and
intercostal muscles
– Anteriorly = sternum (breastbone)
and costal cartilages
– Posteriorly = thoracic part of the
vertebral column (spine)
What is the thoracic cavity? How is it separated from the abdominal cavity?
The space within the thoracic walls. It is separated
from the abdominal cavity by the diaphragm, a large sheet of muscle.
What is in the thoracic cavity?
the lungs, separated by a central compartment
containing the heart, oesophagus, trachea and major blood vessels
How many lobes are in the right vs length lung and why?
Right lung = 3 lobes (superior, middle, inferior)
Left lung = 2 lobes (superior, inferior)
(heart takes up space in the left side of the thorax)
Through which passage does air enter the lungs
Trachea
The trachea divides into 2 main _______
Bronchi
The smallest air passages are called ________
Bronchioles
The bronchioles terminate at _______
Alveoli - tiny air-filled sacs that expand and contract during respiration
What prevents the trachea and bronchial walls from closing?
Rings and plates of cartilage
Does the diameter of the trachea and bronchi change?
No - fixed diameter (i.e. the amount of
air travelling through them can’t
change
What do bronchiole walls consist of?
Circular muscle
Contraction and relaxation of this
circular muscle layer change the
diameter of bronchioles
→ decreases or increases the
amount of air travelling along the
bronchiole
Alveoli are surrounded by a dense network of blood vessels called _______
Capillaries
As blood flows past the thin alveolar walls, ______ diffuses into the blood from the air in the alveoli into the blood (oxygenation) and ________ diffuses out of the blood into the air in the alveoli
- oxygen
- carbon dioxide
What are the lungs immediately surrounded by?
The pleural cavity
What is the pleural calvity
A fluid filled sac surrounding the lungs, lined with a membrane (the pleura).
The lung pushes into the side of the pleural cavity so that the lung is
surrounded by a double layer of pleura (like a fist pushing into a water balloon)
The inner pleural layer is adhered to the _______________
Outer surface of the lungs
The outer pleural layer is adhered to the internal surface of the ________ and superior surface of the ________
- thoracic wall
- diaphragm
What is the function of the pleural fluid?
- Lubrication - minimises friction
between the pleural surfaces as they slide over one another - Adhesion - sticks the pleural
surfaces together via surface tension - like a cup sticking to a wet coaster
Air moves into and out of the lungs in response to ___________
pressure gradients
Gases move from an area of high
pressure to an area of lower
pressure in an attempt to ____________________
equalise pressure differences
At the end of expiration, atmospheric pressure an alveolar pressure are ________
Equal - therefore no movement into or out of the lungs takes place