Respiratory System Flashcards
What is the order of parts of the respiratory system?
- External Nose
- Internal Nose
- Pharynx
- Larynx
- Trachea
- Bronchi (Primary, Secondary, & Tertiary
- Bronchioles
- Alveoli
Where is the Pharynx?
Area posterior to the nose and mouth. Food & air passes through here
Where is the Larynx?
Lower than the pharynx. Air only here. Vocal cords located here. Epiglottis covers the larynx to prevent food from entering.
What are the alveoli?
Air sacs where gas exchange occurs. They are surrounded by capillaries
What is the name of the serous membrane covering the lung?
The Pleural membrane
The pleural membrane is made of two layers: 1) the visceral and 2) parietal layer
How many lobes does the right lung have?
3 lobes
How many lobes does the left lung have?
2 lobes
What is the function of the pulmonary surfactant?
The pulmonary surfactant makes it easier to breathe by decreasing the surface tension in alveoli to prevent the alveoli from collapsing in between breathes.
What is external respiration?
External respiration is the gas exchange between the atmosphere and blood that occurs in the alveoli
What is internal respiration?
Internal respiration is the gas exchange between blood and body cells
What is the mechanism of external respiration?
- Medulla oblongata is the respiratory center
- Fires every 5 seconds and send action potential down to C3, C4, and C5 axons. C3, C4, C5 keep the diaphragm alive
- Action potentials then trigger the axons that make up phrenic nerve to fire and stimulated diaphragm to contract.
What are the three ways we transport CO2 in the blood?
- Small portion is dissolved in the plasma
- Moderated portion carried on the hemoglobin molecule
- 70% (majority) is converted into HCO3 (bicarbonate ion) Used to bufer H+ (buffer acidity) We use the bicarbonate ions to buffer acidity in the blood.
