Respiratory system Flashcards
Name 5 functions of the the respiratory System
Provide a huge gas exchange surface between air and circulating blood
Moves air to and from site of gas exchange
Protects respiratory surfaces from oirside environment
Produces sounds (voice)
Participates in olfactory sense (smell)
What are the conducting and respiratory zones
Conducting zone is the nose all the way down to the top of the lungs and the respiratory zone is the lungs
Describe the structure of the trachea
Extends from cricoid cartilage where it braches into left and right pulmonary bronchus. Composed of incomplete c shaped cartilage rings which allow the oesophagus to expand during swallowing
How do the right and left bronchi differ?
Right is larger in diameter than left, descends at a steeper angle
What is the carina?
Ridge which separates right and left bronchus where they branch off into the lungs
How do the bronchi divide up when they reach the lungs?
Primary to secondary, secondary to tertiary, tertiary to bronchioles
Where does gas exchange take place
After the terminal bronchiole branches into respiratory bronchioles which lead to the alveoli
What’s the difference between the right and left lungs
Right lung has 3 lobes (superior, mid and inferior), left has 2 (superior and inferior)
Right lung is wider and is displaced by the liver
Left lung is longer snd displaced leftwards by the heart
What is a pleural cavity?
It’s a space which holds a lung, is lined with a membrane called a pleura, pleura consists of 2 layers (visceral is closer to lung, parietal is further from lung) which are lubricated by pleural fluid which is in between the 2 layers of pleura
What is the hilum
The space Where the different structures enter the lungs (trachea, pulmonary artery etc)
Where is involuntary respiration instigated -
brain stem which regulates respiratory muscles
Where is voluntary respiration instigated?
Cerebral cortex (respiratory systems of pons and medulla oblongata)
