Respiratory System Flashcards
Components of the upper respiratory system
Nose, nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx.
Components of the lower respiratory system
Trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli, lungs and diaphragm.
Functions of the respiratory system
Exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide, olfaction, speech, and maintain homeostasis.
Paranasal sinuses
Frontal, sphenoidal, ethmoidal, maxillary.
Other name for pharynx
Throat
Epiglottis
Closes the trachea during swallowing and is the guardian of the airway.
Pulmonary ventilation
Breathing; includes inhalation and exhalation.
Vital capacity
Total amount of ait that can be forcefully inspired or expired from the lungs in one breath.
Dyspnea
Laboured or difficult breathing.
Hypoxia
Inadequate oxygen at the cellular level.
Anoxia
Inadequate oxygen at the system or organism level.
Hiccups
Spasm of the vocal cords and contraction of the diaphragm.
Olfaction
The sense of smell.
Anterior nares
Nostrils
Posterior nares
Nasal entrance into the pharynx.
Conchae
Ridged projections in the walls of the nasal cavity.
Meatuses
Grooved passageways between the conchae.
Paranasal sinus functions
Lighten the skull and act as resonance chambers.
Frontal sinus
Found superior to the eyebrows.
Sphenoidal sinus
Found behind the eyes.
Ethmoidal sinus
Found between the nasal cavities and the eyes.
Maxillary sinus
The largest paranasal sinus. Found inferior to the cheekbones and superior to the upper teeth.
Pharynx
A muscular tube which connects the nasal cavity to the larynx.
Sections of the pharynx
Naso, oro and laryngo
Which section of the pharynx is open to the Eustacian tubes?
Nasopharynx
Larynx
Voice box. Connects the pharynx to the trachea. Contains the thyroid cartilage, glottis and epiglottis.
Glottis
Portion of the larynx which contains the vocal folds.
Epiglottis
Flap which covers the trachea during swallowing. Part of the larynx.
Trachea
Windpipe. Connects the larynx to the bronchi. Made up of C shaped cartilagenous rings.
Carina
Point at which the trachea branches into bronchi.
Bronchi
Connect the trachea to the lungs. Branch down into bronchioles and then alveoli.
Alveoli
Air sacs, the site of gas exchange in the lungs.
Respiratory membrane
Alveolar epithelium, the basement membrane and the capillary endothelium.
Lungs
Organs of respiration. Extend from clavicle to diaphragm and lie against the ribcage.
Lobes of the lungs
The right lung has 3 and the left lung has 2.
Pleural membrane
Membrane which covers the lungs.
Breathing
The process used to move air in and out of the lungs. Controlled mainly be the medulla oblongata.
External respiration
Gas exchange between the air in the alveoli and blook in the capillaries.
Internal respiration
Gas exchange between the blood in the capillaries and the tissue cells.
Breathing reflexes
Sneeze, cough, hiccup, yawn.
Sneeze
Forceful expulsion of air to clear the upper respiratory tract. Can be triggered by airborn particles, bright light or cold air.
Cough
Forceful expulsion of air to clear the lower respiratory tract.
Hiccup
Spasmadic closure of the vocal cords after forceful contraction of the respiratory muscles to assist with the removal of air from the stomach.
Yawn
Very deep inhalation. Triggered by the need for increased oxygen or decreased CO2 or to equalize ear pressure.
