respiratory system Flashcards
What are bronchi?
The separate branches of the trachea that provide air supply to each lung.
What are bronchioles?
Subdivisions of the bronchi that conduct air towards the alveoli.
What are alveoli?
Final destination in the lungs for gas exchange, elastic thin-walled membrane sacs, crucial surface for gas exchange.
What is the bronchial tree?
A structure made up of fractal patterns that repeat over and over.
What are the two types of muscles involved in respiration?
Inspiratory muscles and expiratory muscles.
What is the primary breathing muscle?
The diaphragm.
What is the key purpose of the respiratory system?
To achieve adequate respiration in the body.
What are the three steps of respiration?
- Pulmonary ventilation
- External (Pulmonary) respiration
- Internal (Tissue) respiration
What is pulmonary ventilation?
Breathing, including inhalation and exhalation of air between the atmosphere and lungs.
What is minute ventilation?
Total amount of air per minute, measured in litres per minute (L-min-1).
How is minute ventilation calculated?
Breathing frequency x tidal volume.
What is the average minute ventilation at rest?
5 – 15 L of air per minute.
What is the average minute ventilation during exercise?
140 – 180 L per minute.
What does Boyle’s law state?
Volume of gas in a sealed container at constant temperature is inversely related to pressure.
What determines the direction of airflow in the lungs?
Pressure inside the lungs relative to atmospheric pressure.
What happens when lung pressure is less than atmospheric pressure?
Air moves into the lungs.
What happens when lung pressure is greater than atmospheric pressure?
Air moves out of the lungs.
What is spirometry?
A technique to assess lung function.
What does slow spirometry measure?
Vital capacity, which is the size of the lungs.
What is the benchmark for vital capacity?
Approximately 80% of predicted.
What does fast spirometry measure?
The volume of air expired in one second (forced expiratory volume).
What is the ideal FEV/VC ratio in healthy individuals?
80%.
What is a marker for obstruction diagnosis in lung function?
Anything below 70% of vital capacity.
What does Dalton’s law state?
The pressure of a mixture of gases is equal to the sum of individual gas pressures (partial pressure).
