Respiration 2 Flashcards
What are the fractional concentrations of different gases in dry air?
Nitrogen and inert gases = 0.79 (79%)
Oxygen = 0.21 (21%)
Carbon dioxide = 0.0004 (0.04%)
Why do the fractional concentrations of gases change in humid air?
Water vapour present
At rest, how much oxygen is consumed by tissues and how much carbon dioxide is produced per minute?
250ml oxygen
200ml carbon dioxide
Why is the amount of oxygen used by tissues not equal to the amount of carbon dioxide produced?
Oxidation of organic fuel produces water as well
What is the respiratory quotient?
0.8
Carbon dioxide produced/oxygen consumed
What is alveolar ventilation at rest?
~4200ml/min
Describe the volumes of oxygen transported around the body per minute.
250ml absorbed into blood from alveoli
Added to a 750ml reservoir
250ml used by cells
How much oxygen is inhaled (into alveoli) and exhaled per minute (with calculations)?
0.21 x 4200 = 882ml inhaled into alveoli per min
882 - 250 = 632ml exhaled from alveoli per min
What are the volumes of carbon dioxide being transported around the body per minute?
Tissues produce 200ml
Added to 2400ml reservoir
200ml expired
What is the pressure exerted by a gas proportional to?
Temperature + number of gas molecules in a given volume
What is Dalton’s law regarding pressure?
Individual pressure of a particular gas in a mixture of chemically inert gases is called the partial pressure
What is the total pressure of a mixture of inert gases equal to?
Sum of all the partial pressures
Describe how the partial pressure of oxygen changes through a breath.
21% in atmospheric air
Diluted by water vapour in upper airways
Absorbed into blood at alveoli (13.3) so decreases
Alveolar gas mixes with fresh air of anatomical dead space so increases
Describe how the partial pressure of carbon dioxide changes through a breath.
Virtually 0 until gas exchange in alveoli (5.3)
Alveolar gas mixes with fresh air of anatomical dead space dilutes carbon dioxide
Describe how the partial pressure of water vapour changes through a breath.
Variable in atmospheric air
Increases due to humidification in upper airways (6.3kPa)
Alveolar gas mixes with fresh air of anatomical dead space (variable)
What is Henry’s law regarding dissolved gases?
Amount of gas dissolved in a liquid ∝ partial pressure of that gas in equilibrium with that liquid
How does a gas diffuse?
From high to low partial pressures
Independent of other gases
For an air-fluid system in equilibrium, how are the partial pressures related?
Air pp = fluid pp
Why do we use partial pressures over concentrations of gases?
Easier to measure
Gives a better idea of movement
Concentration depends on solubility as well as pp
What is the equation linking concentration, solubility and partial pressure?
Concentration = solubility x partial pressure
How do systemic blood and alveolar partial pressures of oxygen change during gaseous exchange?
Systemic blood pp equilibrates to almost match alveolar pp
How do blood and alveolar partial pressures of carbon dioxide change after gaseous exchange?
Alveolar pp equilibrates to exactly match blood pp
What determines the rate of gaseous transfer (factors or equation)?
Partial pressure difference (P1 - P2)
Solubility of a gas in the fluid at 37°C
Diffusion barrier (SA/thickness)
Rate = (SA/thickness) x (P1 - P2) x S x (1/√mW)
What is the partial pressure gradient of oxygen during gas exchange?
13.3 - 5.3 = 8kPa into blood
How is the rate of gaseous exchange of oxygen limited?
Low solubility of oxygen in arterial blood
What is the partial pressure gradient of carbon dioxide during gas exchange?
5.3 - 6.1 = (-)0.8kPa out of blood