Respiratory System Flashcards
What is mucus to our body
The “oil” in the “machine”
About how much mucus do we make a day
1-1.5 L
What happens to the mucus when we are sick [or dehydrated]
the consistency changes
What causes the leakage of mucus producing cells
allergies and some infections
Why is the mucus sometimes green
It can be from neutrophils[the most abundant white blood cells in humans]
Where does the gas exchange at the alveoli
High surface areas where the air is 37° and moist
What type of transport gas exchange
Passive transport
How thick is the membrane at the gas exchange at the alveoli
one cell thick
What happens when you breathe in
there is an increase in volume which means a lower pressure
ribs move up and out
diaphragm flattens
What happens when you breathe out
decrease in volume witch means higher pressure,
ribs fall
diaphragm moves up
What is Pneumothorax
If air is introduced into the plural cavity[I.e. through a stabbing or broken rib], the membrane separates. This causes the lung to collapse in a condition called pneumothorax. If this occurs, the lung can’t inflate b/c there is nothing pulling on it to increase its volume and reduce the air pressure. This leads to difficulty breathing
What is total lung capacity
The maximum volume of air that can be inhaled during a single breath
What is tidal volume
The volume of air and hills or exhaled during a normal, involuntary breath. It’s about 0.5 L in the average adult for 10% of the total lung capacity
What is inspiratory reserve volume
The amount of additional air that can be inhaled after normal inhalation
What is expiratory Reserv volume
The volume of additional air that can be exhaled after a normal exhalation
