Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Biology MCAT > Respiratory System > Flashcards

Respiratory System Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
MCAT flashcards AP® Biology flashcards Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

Thoracic Cavity

A

Location of the lungs and heart

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Nares

A

Entry point for the respiratory tract AKA nostrils

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Vibrissae

A

AKA nasal hairs
Filters air within nasal cavity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Nasal cavity

A

Area just behind the nostrils
Removes dirt and particulate matter from the air by filtering with mucous membranes and vibrissae
Warms and humidifies air

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Pharynx

A

Resides behind the nasal cavity and the back of the mouth
Common pathway for air and food

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Larynx

A

Below the pharynx
Pathway for air only
Contains vocal cords

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Glottis

A

Opening of the larynx

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Epiglottis

A

A flap of cartilage that covers the glottis during swallowing so that food doesn’t go into the trachea

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Trachea

A

Below the larynx
Composed of about 20 rings of cartilage
Lined with ciliated epithelial cells

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Bronchi

A

Trachea divides into these cartaliginous tubes
Lined with ciliated epithelial cells

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Bronchioles

A

In the lungs
Bronchi divide into these
Not cartaliginous

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Alveoli

A

Tiny balloon-like structures in the lungs
Site of gas exchange

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Surfactant

A

Coats each alveolus to relieve surface tension and prevent alveolus from collapsing on itself

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Bronchioles and alveoli (purpose)

A

Allow for exceptionally large surface area for gas exchange (100 meters squared)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Chest wall

A

Forms the outside of the thoracic cavity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Pleurae

A

Membranous sacs that surround each lung
Form closed sacs against which the lungs expand

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Visceral pleura

A

Surface of pleura adjacent to the lung

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Parietal pleura

A

Surface of pleura that is far away from the lung

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Diaphragm

A

Thin, muscular structure that divides the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity

Under somatic control

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Chest wall, back and neck muscles

A

May contribute to breathing, especially when breathing is labored

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Intrapleural space

A

Space within the pleura

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

External intercostal muscles

A

One of the layers of muscles beneath the ribs
Contract to expand the thoracic cavity
Relax to contract the thoracic cavity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Intrathoracic volume

A

Volume of the chest cavity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Inhalation

A

When air enters the lungs
Active process that involves negative-pressure breathing

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Negative-pressure breathing

A

Driving force for inhalation is the negative pressure in the intrapleural space compared to the lungs. When the diaphragm contracts, increase in volume lowers pressure, so air goes from high to low pressure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Exhalation

A

When air is pushed out of the lungs
Does not have to be an active process because muscles recoil

27
Q

Internal intercostal muscles

A

Layer of muscles beneath the ribs
Oppose the external intercostals and pull the rib cage down
Decrease volume of thoracic cavity to help with exhalation

28
Q

Abdominal muscles

A

Can help with exhalation if needed

29
Q

Spirometer

A

Helps assess lung capacities and volumes
Cannot measure residual volume

30
Q

Total lung capacity (TLC)

A

The maximum volume of air in the lungs when one inhales completely

31
Q

Residual volume (RV)

A

The minimum volume of air in the lungs when one exhales completely
Cannot be measured by a spirometer

32
Q

Vital capacity (VC)

A

The difference between the minimum and maximum volume of air in the lungs
Total Lung Capacity - Residual Volume
(TLC - RV)

33
Q

Tidal volume (TV)

A

The volume of air inhaled or exhaled in a normal breath

34
Q

Expiratory reserve volume (ERV)

A

The volume of additional air that can be forcibly exhaled after a normal exhalation

35
Q

Inspiratory reserve volume (IRV)

A

The volume of additional air that can be forcibly inhaled after a normal inhalation

36
Q

Medulla oblongata

A

Structure in the hindbrain that regulates ventilation

37
Q

Ventilation center

A

Collection of neurons in the medulla oblongata that fire rhythmically to cause regular contraction of respiratory muscles

38
Q

Chemoreceptors in ventilation center

A

Ventilation center neurons use these to detect carbon dioxide concentration and act accordingly

39
Q

Hypercarbia or hypercapnia

A

Too much CO2 in the blood
Causes respiratory rate to increase so more CO2 will be exhaled

40
Q

Respiratory rate

A

Rate at which one breathes

41
Q

Hypoxia

A

Low oxygen concentration in the blood
Ventilation center neurons respond to this as well

42
Q

Cerebrum

A

The structure through which we can control our breathing
Overridden by medulla oblongata when we breathe too little for a time

43
Q

Hypoventilation

A

Too little breathing
Causes CO2 concentration in blood to increase, causing pH to go down

44
Q

Hyperventilation

A

Too much breathing
Causes CO2 concentration to decrease, making the bicarbonate buffer system shift to the left to compensate, causing alkalemia

45
Q

Pulmonary arteries

A

Bring deoxygenated blood to the capillaries below the alveoli

46
Q

Pulmonary veins

A

Bring newly oxygenated blood to the left atrium of the heart

47
Q

How would our respiratory systems adjust if we moved to higher altitudes where less oxygen is available?

A

First, we would breathe more rapidly to try to avoid hypoxia; second, the binding dynamics of hemoglobin to oxygen would be altered to facilitate the unloading of oxygen at the tissues.

the natural response of hemoglobin to the decreased carbon dioxide concentration in the environment would actually be to decrease the unloading of oxygen to tissues, so other mechanisms can counteract and override this phenomenon to allow adequate delivery of oxygen. We could make more red cells to carry the oxygen. In the long term, we could develop more blood vessels (vascularization), which would facilitate the distribution of oxygen to tissues.

48
Q

Thermoregulation

A

Through vasodilation or vasoconstriction.

As capillaries expand, more blood can pass through these vessels, and a larger amount of thermal energy can be dissipated. As capillaries contract, less blood can pass through them, conserving thermal energy. The capillaries within the nasal and tracheal capillary beds are most frequently used for these purposes within the respiratory system. While these capillary beds provide a mechanism for thermoregulation, humans predominantly regulate temperature using capillaries and sweat glands in the skin, or rapid muscle contraction (shivering).

49
Q

Vasodilation

A

Expansion of capillaries in the nasal cavity and trachea to dissipate thermal energy

50
Q

Vasoconstriction

A

Contraction of capillaries in the nasal cavity and trachea to conserve thermal energy

51
Q

Lysozyme

A

Enzyme in the nasal cavity that attacks the peptidoglycan cell walls of gram-positive bacteria

52
Q

Mucociliary escalator

A

Internal airways are lined with mucus which traps particulate matter and larger invaders
Underlying cilia propel the mucus up the respiratory tract to the oral cavity, where it is expelled or swallowed

53
Q

Macrophages

A

Seen in the lungs, especially alvoeli. Engulf and digest pathogens and signal to the rest of the immune system that there is an invader

54
Q

IgA antibodies

A

Contained on mucosal surfaces
Help protect against pathogens that contact mucous membranes

55
Q

Mast cells

A

can also be seen in lungs. Release inflammatory chemicals to promote an immune response upon contact with an antigen
Can Cause allergic reactions

56
Q

Bicarbonate buffer system equation
SUPER IMPORTANT

A

For pH balance in blood -

CO2 (g) + H2O (l) <-> H2CO3 (aq) <-> HCO3- (aq) + H+ (aq)

57
Q

Physiological pH

A

7.35-7.45

58
Q

Acidemia

A

pH of blood is too low

acid-sensing chemoreceptors just outside the blood-brain barrier send signals to the brain to increase the respiratory rate.

59
Q

Effects of acidemia

A

CO2 concentration increases due to excess of H+
Ventilation center senses this and increases respiratory rate to blow off more CO2
Decreased CO2 pushes bicarbonate buffer equation to left until H+ concentration is normal again

60
Q

Alkalemia

A

pH of blood is too high

then the body will seek to increase acidity

61
Q

Effects of alkalemia

A

Respiratory rate is slowed to increase CO2 concentration and shift bicarbonate buffer equation to right to decrease pH

62
Q

If H+ is an acid and HCO⁻3 is a base, then why doesn’t increasing both of them maintain a constant pH?

A

The reason is because H+ is a strong acid, while HCO⁻3 is a weak base. (buffer system!)

63
Q

Difference between lung response and kidney response to pH imbalances

A

Lung response is faster
Kidney response is slower, more long-term

Biology MCAT (9 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions