respiratory system Flashcards
what is pulmonary ventilation
the mechanical process that moves air into and out of the lungs
what is external respiration
the exchange of gases between alveoli and lung capillaries
what is internal respiration
the exchange of gasses between blood and tissue cells
what is inspiration
breathing in
what is expiration
breathing out
what is the respiratory tract made up of
mouth - pharynx - larynx - trachea- lungs (bronchi - alveoli )
what is the epiglottis and what is its role
a flexible flap at the superior end of the larynx it acts as a switch to cover the oesophagus to permit air only into the lungs
what is the function of the respiratory tract
the cartilage keeps pathway open
mucus removes dust and dirt
cilia waft mucus to pharynx to be swallowed
protects against infection via macrophages
how many lobes does each lung have
right lung has 3, left lung has 2
what are the 3 types of pleural membranes
visceral pleura, parietal pleura, pleural cavity
what is the visceral pleura
the membrane that covers each lung
what is the parietal pleura
the membrane covering the thoracic cavity
what is the pleural cavity
the space between the visceral and parietal pleura
what does the lung surfactant consist of
phospholipid which lowers surface tension
when the pressure outside is greater that then inside the thorax what happens
air flows into the lungs
