Respiratory system Flashcards
2 parts of respiratory system
Conducting portion (breathing) Gas exchange
Respiratory tract
Air enters or leaves through two openings (nose or mouth)
Pharynx
Tube that leads into digestive or respiratory tract
When epiglottis folds up
Front. Air enters respiratory tract
When epiglottis folds down
Back. Food enters to the digestive tract
Larynx
Made of cartilage. Contains voice box. When air enters larynx, the vocal cords vibrate and produce sound
Trachea
Front- made of cartilage. C shaped rings.
Back- made of muscle trachealIs. Contraction of this widens the trachea to adjust airflow.
Both allow asophagus to expand as swallowed food passes by.
Bronchi
2 large air passages enter into the lungs
Bronchoiles
Smaller airway below the bronchi. Found inside lungs. Little branches
Alveoli
Tiny grape like air sacs. Thin walled.
Site of air exchange between air and blood while the rest of the components of the respiratory tract function to move air in and out of the alveoli.
How o2 and co2 diffuse between the alveoli and capillaries
Pulmonary artery transports deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs. Capillary releases co2 into alveolus. Co2 is releases out during exhalation
Gas exchange
During inhalation, o2 enters respiratory tract. O2 is released from alveolus into capillary.
Blood becomes oxygenated. It returns to heart through pulmonary vein. Heart pumps this blood to rest of body
Intercostal muscles
Muscles between each rib
Diaphragm
A thin muscle below the lungs. Dome shaped.
What happens when you breathe in.
The intercostal muscles contract and lift ribs upwards. Diaphragm contracts and pulls down. It flattens.
Chest cavity expands. Increased volume and dimension of the cavity. Draws air into lungs
