Respiratory System Flashcards
What is the respiratory main function?
performing critical tasks involved in transporting oxygen from the atmosphere into the body’s blood and removing carbon dioxide from the body’s cells
cells
the basic structural until of an organism from which living things are created
What is the respiratory system specifically structured to do?
to maximize surface area for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide (the surface area of alveoli is huge)
alveoli
Tiny air sacs in the lungs where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place (gas exchange)
Inhaling/exhaling
the process of bringing oxygen into the lungs
ventilation
the exchange of oxygen with carbon dioxide in the lungs (occurs as a combination of muscle action nad negative pressure)
explain how air enters the body
Air enters through nasal openings, moves into the nasal cavity, and travels past the pharynx(throat) and the trachea. Air continues to the first divisions of the trachea (the right and left bronchi). The air directed to the left bronchus continues to the left lung. Both right and left bronchi subdivide into smaller and thinner tubes called bronchioles (clusters of grapes) and they terminate in alveoli.
trachea
the windpipe which connects the larynx to the lungs
bronchioles
small passages in the lungs that connect bronchi to alveoli
Mediastinum
The area between the two lungs (where the heart is located)(left)(this makes the right lung larger-three lobes)
The lobes in the right lung
the superior, middle, and inferior
The lobes in the left lung
the superior and inferior
How are the lobes divided?
bronchopulmonary segments, each segment receives air from its own bronchus and receives blood from its artery
pleura
a membrane around the lungs and inside the chest cavity
Where are the lungs contained?
thoracic cavity
Heart’s role in the respiratory system?
note- the heart is not part of the respiratory system
-transporting oxygen and carbon dioxide throughout the body
-heart pulmonary system sends blood low in oxygen and high in carbon dioxide to the lungs where oxygen is picked up and carbon dioxide is dropped off
Where does this happen?
capillaries of the circulatory system interact its the alveoli of the lungs
Finally?
This new oxygenated blood is then returned to the heart where the system circulation sends all parts of the body. As oxygen is consumed by the cells, the blood becomes deoxygenated and is returned to the heart
How does gas exchange in the lungs occur? (inversely/directly proportional)
Diffusion-passive transport mechanism(not require added energy)
-the rate of diffusion is directly proportional to the surface area involved
-inversely proportional to the thickness of the blood gas barrier/distance
Diffusion in the lungs explanation
-oxygen in the lungs moves into the blood and carbon dioxide in the blood moves into the lungs
-lungs then exhale the carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere
-When the heart’s pulmonary vessels enter the lungs, the blood has a low concentration of oxygen, whereas the recently inhaled air in the alveoli has a high concentration of oxygen (in comparison to the capillaries)
-remeber difussion(high to low concentration)
-thin alveolar epithelium allows for diffusion
-NOW OPPOSITE! capillaries contain high levels of co2, alveoli contain high levels of oxygen and a low concentration of co2
Summary: carbon dioxide diffuses into the alveoli and oxygen into the blood capillaries
Ventilation-muscle info
-diaphragm/intercostal muscles (between ribs) contact simultaneously to increase volume of lungs
-decreases the pressure in the lungs and draws in air
-when the diaphragm and the intercostal muscles relax, reduction in lung volume and increase in pressure in the lungs (air is now pushed out)
tidal volume
the amount of air breathed in a normal inhalation or exhalation
