Respiratory System Flashcards
What are the function of the respiratory system
Gas exchange
movement of air
sound production
olfactory production
Protection of microbes
(fast rate)
(slow rate)
temporary cessation of breathing)*
Shortness of breath
Tachypnoea (fast rate)
Bradypnoea (slow rate)*
Apnoea (temporary cessation of breathing)*
Dyspnoea (Shortness of breath
Children respiratory system …
Tongue is larger in proportion to mouth = morelikely to obstruct airway in unconscious child* Short Neck* Smaller, shorter, narrower airways = moresusceptible to obstruction and respiratorydistress* Fewer and Smaller alveoli* Horizontal ribs (diaphragmatic breathing)* Cartilaginous ribs* Obligatory nose breathers - up to 2-3 months* Children have less glycogen storage reserves -tire easily effort* More prone to respiratory infection due immatureimmune system
Changes until age of 12ys*
Child respiratory illness risk is therefore greater thanadults
Upper Airway is more prone to obstruction
Smaller airway = greater resistance
Less alveolar surface area
Reduced area for gaseous exchangeMore diaphragmic breathing*
Flexible chest reduces air intake
What 3 things is lung function dependent on
Air entry into the lungs(ventilation)
2. The area available forgas exchange(ventilation)
3. The blood flow throughthe lungs (perfusion)
What is respiration?
The process by which oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged between the atmosphere and body cells.
there are 4 distictive phrases
…PULMONARY VENTILATION - how air gets in and out of lungs
EXTERNAL RESPIRATION- how oxygen diffuses from the lungs to the blood stream and how carbon dioxide diffuses from the blood and to the lungs
TRANSPORT OF GASES- how oxygan and carbon dioxide are transported between the lungs and body tissue
INTERNAL RESPIRATION - how oxygen is delivered to and carbon dioxide collected from body cells
what is the upper respiratory tract
The air enters the body via the nasal and oral cavity. The nasal cavity has been divided into two equal sections by the nasal septum a structure formed out of the ethmoid bones and the vomer of the skull.
Mouth and nose. Air enters and leaves the lungs through the mouth and nostrils of the nose
.
Nasal cavity. Air passes from the nose into the nasal cavity, and then the lungs.
Throat (pharynx). Air from the mouth is sent to the lungs via the throat.
Voice box (larynx). This part of the throat helps air to pass into the lungs and keeps out food and drink.
What is the lower respiratory tract?
The lower respiratory tract consists of the trachea, bronchi and lungs. The air passages are lined with mucous membrane composed mainly of ciliated epithelium. Cilia constantly clean the tract and carry foreign matter upwards for swallowing or expectoratio
lungs
trachea (windpipe)
bronchi
bronchioles
alveoli
Treachea
The trachea (windpipe) extends from the laryngopharynx at the level of the cricoid cartilage at the top to the carina (also called the tracheal bifurcation). C-shaped cartilage rings reinforce and protect the trachea to prevent it from collapsing. The carina is a ridge-shaped structure at the level of T6 or T7. The carina possesses sensory nerve endings which cause coughing if food or water is inhaled accidently.
Bronchi
Bronchi are the main airways into the lungs. Bronchi is the plural form of bronchus.
Air enters your body through your mouth or nose and it passes through the larynx and trachea. The trachea, also called the windpipe, branches into a bronchus in each lung.
The structure of the trachea and the bronchi together are called the tracheobronchial tree, or more simply, the bronchial tree. Together, they look a lot like an upside down tree: the trachea forms the trunk and the bronchi form the branches of all sizes.
Alveoli
The dead end the final place air trvels before doing a u turn and leaves
before it leaves ut exchanghed with blood
then we exhanle and all the bkoood comes out
.
How is gas exchanged in the respiratory system
Gas is exchanged in the lungs at the site of the alveoli.
alveoli are surrounded by membranes filled with capillaries.
These membranes allow for diffusion in respiration to happen
. Diffusion is when a substance spontaneously moves from a higher concentration to a lower concentration. This happens due to the natural, random movement of the molecules.#
Since the atmosphere is approximately 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, and 1 percent other gases (including carbon dioxide),
the concentration gradient of oxygen in the lungs is higher than what is in the capillaries surrounding the alveoli.
This is due to oxygen being used up by processes and tissues in the body and deoxygenated blood being pumped back into the capillaries around the alveoli.
Diffusion then spontaneously occurs, and oxygen gets transported back into the capillaries for use by the body. Therefore, diffusion of oxygen in the lungs occurs from the alveoli to the capillaries.
Why can gases be exchanged in the alveoli
The exchange of gases in alveoli is possible because they are surrounded by membranes filled with capillaries.
This diffusion process also allows carbon dioxide, a waste product of body tissues, to diffuse back into the alveoli and get exhaled. The concentration of carbon dioxide is higher in the capillaries than it is in the lungs. The carbon dioxide diffuses through the capillaries and into the alveoli through the same process.
Diffusion happens until equilibrium is reached, that is the concentration gradient is equal on both sides of the membrane.
Since oxygen is constantly being used by the body, and carbon dioxide is constantly being produced the respiratory system is constantly trying to achieve equilibrium
. The function of diffusion in the respiratory system is to distribute oxygen to cells in the body to produce energy and remove carbon dioxide as a waste product.
What happens when you take a breath
You breathe in through your mouth nose or both
then the air goes down the throat and into the treachea
into the lungs through the right and left main bronchi
into the smaller bronchi airways
into the even smaller bronchiole tubes
into the alveoli (tiny air sacs There are about 600 million alveoli in your lungs.
The small bubble shapes of the alveoli give your lungs a surprising amount of surface area. This means there’s plenty of room for vital oxygen to pass into your body)
Each alveolus is covered by a net of tiny blood vessels called capillaries.
Oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange happens here. Your heart sends deoxygenated blood to the lungs. This is blood that is carrying carbon dioxide rather than oxygen.
As the blood passes through the tiny, thin-walled capillaries, they get oxygen from the alveoli. They return carbon dioxide through the thin walls to the alveoli.
The oxygen-rich blood from your lungs is sent back to your heart, where it’s pumped to your entire body. The carbon dioxide is breathed out of the lungs and alveoli through your mouth and nose.
Oxygen movement from alveoli to capillaries
khan academy
How do lung keep themselves healthy
The alveoli stay partly inflated like a balloon even when you exhale air. Your lungs make a fluid called surfactant to help them stay open. Surfactant also contains fatty proteins that help keep the lungs healthy.
Your lungs are self-cleaning.
They make mucus to trap germs and particles. The mucus is then swept up by cilia, small hairs that line the airways. Normally, you swallow this mucus without noticing. If you have a respiratory illness, your lungs may make too much mucus.
The alveoli also contain immune cells called macrophages. These cells “eat” germs and irritants before they can cause an infection in your lungs.
