Respiratory System Flashcards
Main function of respiratory system
To bring oxygen into the body and get rid of carbon dioxide
Structures of the upper respiratory tract
Nose, throat (pharynx), voice box (larynx)
Structures of the lower respiratory tract
Windpipe (trachea), breathing tubes (bronchi), smaller tubes (bronchioles), and air sacs (alveoli)
Pathway of air
Nose-pharynx-larynx-trachea-bronchi-bronchioles-alveoli
Role of diaphragm in breathing
It’s a muscle (dome shaped) that contracts during inhalation to expand the chest cavity and drawing air into the lungs, and relaxing during exhalation to force air out.
Role of intercostal muscles in breathing
Muscles between the ribs that help the ribs expand and shrink the chest during breathing
What is inspiration
Breathing in
What is expiration
Breathing out
What is tidal volume
The normal amount of air you breath in or out in one breath when resting
What is vital capacity
The maximum amount of air you can breathe out after taking the deepest breath you can
Where does gas exchange occur
In the tiny air sacs in the lungs called alveoli
Where are peripheral chemoreceptors located?
In the major arteries aorta and carotid
What are the pores of Kohn
Small holes between alveoli that allow air to move between them
