Respiratory System Flashcards
What is the Respiratory System?
System of organs that assists the body in gas exchange
Main Functions:
→ Takes in Oxygen
→ Removes Carbon Dioxide produced from cellular respiration
It uses bulk flow and simple diffusion to its advantage
Nose and mouth (Apart of Conducting Zone)
→ The hairs and mucus in the nose help filter the dust and particles from the air.
→ Both organs warm and moisten the air so that the lung cells remain wet and don’t dry out.
↑ Water is needed for the oxygen to dissolve before it can diffuse across membranes.
Epiglottis (Apart of Conducting Zone)
Essentially a one-way valve for air. Our esophagus and trachea are connected to one singular tube, that tube can either have air or consumables. The epiglottis makes sure that no food or drink enters the larynx.
→ Made of Elastic Cartilage
Larynx (voicebox) (Apart of Conducting Zone)
The Larynx is where our vocal cords are located and where we speak from.
→ muscles and cartilage
Trachea (Apart of Conducting Zone)
Most commonly referred to as the windpipe. This is the main airway to the lungs.
The trachea has multiple cartilaginous rings to keep it open as if it was soft, it would collapse from the difference in pressure that the lungs create.
Lined with ciliated epithelium. The cilia move the mucus and foreign debris from the lungs
Bronchi (Apart of Conducting Zone)
The trachea splits into the right and left Bronchus.
These are airways that lead to the lungs.
→ Made of columnar epithelial
Bronchioles (Respiratory Zone)
These are pipes that get smaller and smaller until they reach the alveoli through the alveolar ducts.
→ Made of columnar epithelial
Alveoli (Respiratory Zone)
Bunched up in sacs called Alveolar sacs. These are responsible for gas exchanges.
Each of the Alveoli has capillaries around them.
→ Each of the Alveoli is lined with simple squamous epithelial.
→ The oxygen and CO2 exchange through diffusion.
Both of the lungs contain about 700 million alveoli
Lungs (Respiratory Zone)
Inflate and deflate with the help of the diaphragm and the muscle lining the ribs to create a pressure difference that causes you to breath.
→ Made of epithelial and connective tissue
Diaphragm (Respiratory Zone)
A muscle right under your lungs that helps the lungs inflate and deflate.
Gas exchange
A process where oxygen diffuses into the blood and carbon diffuses into the alveoli.
Respiratory Diseases
Asthma – narrow / blocked airways
Bronchitis – Inflammation of bronchi
Pneumonia – infection of lung tissues
Emphysema – alveoli over-expand and collapse
Tuberculosis – germs infecting lungs
