Respiratory System

Question 1

What are the major functions of the respiratory system?

Answer 1

1. Provide oxygen to body tissues for cellular respiration
2. Remove the waste product carbon dioxide

Question 2

Name the four steps of respiration

Answer 2

1. Pulmonary ventilation
2. External respiration
3. Transport of respiratory gasses
4. Internal respiration

Question 3

list the respiratory structures and organs of the upper respiratory system

Answer 3

nose, nasal cavity, pharynx

Question 4

list the respiratory structures and organs of the lower respiratory system

Answer 4

larynx, trachea, bronchioles, lungs

Question 5

What are the conducting zones of the respiratory system?

Answer 5

organs and structures not directly involved in the gas.
Nose, nasal cavity, pharynx, trachea, bronchi, and terminal bronchioles

Question 6

What is the function of the conducting zones?

Answer 6

provide a route for incoming and outgoing air, remove debris and pathogens from the incoming air, and warm and humidify the incoming air

Question 7

What is the respiratory zone?

Answer 7

organs where gas exchange occurs
Respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts, alveoli, and the microscopic structures within the lungs

Question 8

What is the function on the respiratory zone?

Answer 8

gas exchange

Question 9

What is the function of the nasal conchae?

Answer 9

the nasal conchae has many twists and turns causing air to bounce along the epithelium where it is filtered, humidified, and warmed

Question 10

Why do colds sometimes lead to ear infections?

Answer 10

eustachian tubes connect to each middle ear cavity which open into the nasopharynx

Question 11

What are the 2 major functions of the larynx?

Answer 11

1. helps regulate the volume of air that enters and leaves the lungs
2. Allows food to pass and prevents food and beverages from entering the trachea

Question 12

Name the 3 large cartilages of the larynx

Answer 12

thyroid cartilage (anterior)
Epiglottis (superior)
Cricoid cartilage (inferior)

Question 13

describe the function of the epiglottis

Answer 13

closes the trachea during swallowing

Question 14

explain the role of true vocal cords (vocal folds) in sound production

Answer 14

True vocal cords have inner edges that are free which allow them to vibrate when air moves past which results in sound

Question 15

Describe the relative position of trachea and esophagus

Answer 15

the trachea is inferior to the larynx
The esophagus borders the trachea posteriorly

Question 16

What is the purpose of the respiratory membrane?

Answer 16

also known as the air blood barrier allows gasses to cross by simple diffusion, allowing oxygen to be picked up by the blood for transport and CO2 to be released into the air of the alveoli

Question 17

What is the structure of the respiratory membrane?

Answer 17

it is made up of alveolar walls, capillary walls and basement membranes. The alveolar walls consist of type I alveolar cells, type II alveolar cells, and alveolar macrophages

Question 18

What are type I alveolar cells functions?

Answer 18

highly permeable to gasses

Question 19

What are type II alveolar cells function?

Answer 19

secrete pulmonary surfactant

Question 20

What are alveolar macrophages in alveoli function?

Answer 20

remove debris and pathogens

Question 21

What is the function of surfactant in the lungs?

Answer 21

reduces surface tension of the alveoli

Question 22

Which muscles are actively involved 8in normal inspiration?

Answer 22

the diaphragm and external intercostal muscles

Question 23

What is atmospheric pressure?

Answer 23

the amount of force exerted by gasses in the air surrounding any given surface

Question 24

What is intra-alveolar pressure?

Answer 24

the pressure of air within the alveoli, this pressure changes during the different phases of breathing

Question 25

What is intrapleural pressure?

Answer 25

The air pressure within the pleural cavity , its less than atmospheric pressure and considered a negative pressure

Question 26

Why is intrapleural pressure important for pulmonary ventilation?

Answer 26

the difference in pressures between the intrapleural and atmospheric pressure causes pulmonary ventilation because air flows from an area of higher pressure to an area of lower pressure

Question 27

How is the expansion of the thoracic cavity leads to the air moving into the lungs?

Answer 27

Expansion of the thoracic cavity increases the volume of the thoracic cavity, as the volume increases, the pressure within the cavity decreases creating lower pressure than the atmospheric pressure. This pressure gradient drives air into the lungs

Question 28

what is respiratory volume?

Answer 28

various volumes of air moved by or associated with the lungs

Question 29

What is tidal volume TV?

Answer 29

the amount of air that enters and exits the lungs during quiet breathing

Question 30

define expiratory reserve volume ERV

Answer 30

the amount of air you can forcefully exhale after an average tidal volume expiration

Question 31

define inspirations reserve volume IRV

Answer 31

the amount of air that can be forcibly inspired after a tidal inspiration

Question 32

define residual volume RV

Answer 32

the air left in the lungs if you forcibly exhale as much air as possible.

Question 33

What is Dalton’s law?

Answer 33

the total pressure in the sum of all the partial pressures

Question 34

what is Henry’s law?

Answer 34

the concentration of gas in a liquid is directly proportional to the solubility and partial pressure of that gas

Question 35

Explain external respiration

Answer 35

pulmonary arteries carry deoxygenated blood into the lungs from the heart. CO2 is released in the opposite direction of oxygen, from the blood to the alveoli. Occurs as a function of partial pressure differences in oxygen and carbon dioxide between the alveoli and the blood in pulmonary capillaries

Question 36

explain internal respiration

Answer 36

gas exchange that occurs at the level of body tissue. Occurs as simple diffusion due to a partial pressure gradient

Question 37

what muscles are used during quiet inspiration?

Answer 37

the diaphragm and external intercostals

Question 38

what muscles are used during forced expiration?

Answer 38

diaphragm and intercostals, scalene muscles, and obliques

Question 39

What muscles are used during deep inspiration?

Answer 39

Diaphragm, external intercostal, scalenes and sternocleidomastoid

Question 40

describe the process of gas exchange in terms of what happens at the level of the alveoli and capillaries

Answer 40

alvioli: oxygen diffuses from alveoli into the blood Capillaries: carbon dioxide diffuses from the blood into the alveoli to be exhaled

Question 41

Explain the relationship between oxygen, heme, hemoglobin and red blood cells

Answer 41

hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells made up of four heme groups Oxygen binds to the iron in each heme group, allowing one hemoglobin molecule to carry up to four oxygen molecules

Question 42

describe the relationship between the partial pressure of oxygen and the binding of oxygen to hemoglobin

Answer 42

as the partial pressure of oxygen increases, more oxygen molecules bind to hemoglobin, increasing hemoglobin saturation

Question 43

what is meant by the affinity of oxygen for heme?

Answer 43

affinity refers to the strength of oxygen binding to hemoglobin

Question 44

What will happen to the affinity of oxygen on heme if the temperature increases Or pH decreses?

Answer 44

increased temperature or decreased pH lowers the affinity, making oxygen unbind more easily

Question 45

Describe 3 ways carbon dioxide can be transported in blood

Answer 45

blood plasma: as some carbon dioxide molecules dissolve in the blood Bicarbonate ion HCO3 which dissolves in plasma Carried in RBC

Question 46

Explain the difference between hyperpnea and hyperventilation

Answer 46

hyperpnea- increased depth and rate of ventilation to meet an increase in oxygen demand, seen in exercise and disease Hyperventilation- an increased ventilation rate independent of the cellular oxygen needs and leads to abnormally low CO2 levels and high blood pH

Question 47

why does altitude sickness happen?

Answer 47

high altitude has low atmospheric pressure, this makes it more difficult for the body to achieve the same levels of oxygen. Physical exertion in high altitude results in a low amount of oxygen reserves in the blood