Respiratory System Flashcards
What are the functions of the respiratory system?
supply oxygen to the blood, remove carbon dioxide from the blood, regulate blood pH
What is external respiration?
processes that occur within the lungs involving the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide
What is internal respiration?
the exchange of gases at the tissue level, where oxygen is delivered and carbon dioxide is removed
What is the conductive zone?
the area composed of all the structures that convey air from the outside of the body to the lungs
- the air becomes body temperature and saturated with moisture to protect tissues of the respiratory zone
What is the respiratory zone?
the structures involved with the exchange of gases between inspired air and the blood
- respiratory organs have moist surfaces for gases to dissolve and diffuse
What is inspiration?
an active process, the diaphragm intercostal muscles contract and air flows into the lungs due to the increased volume
What is expiration?
may be passive and not require much energy (quiet breathing - similar to the release of air from a balloon) or active (forced breathing - passive recoil of the lungs isn’t fast enough to keep up with the required rate of respiration, so muscles in the thoracic cavity contract and increase the air pressure within the lungs)
What is breathing?
results from the contraction and relaxation of the inspiratory muscles and expiratory muscles depending on stimulation from the central nervous system
What is ventilation?
the combination of inspiration and expiration, the volume of air moved by the lungs on 1 minute
What is diffusion?
the movement of a gas, liquid, or solid from a region of high concentration to a region of low concentration through random movement
What is O2 transport?
the process by which oxygen is absorbed into the lungs and moved into the alveoli, then exhaled from the body
What is CO2 transport?
the process by which carbon dioxide in the blood is moved into the alveoli and then exhaled from the body
What is a.VO2 difference?
the difference between the amount of oxygen in the artery and vein, reflecting the amount of oxygen delivered to the muscles
What is pulmonary ventilation, and what are the 3 phases of it?
the exchange of air between the lungs and the environment, closely matched to the rate or intensity of the work being done
phase 1: ventilation is increased rapidly, almost immediately upon the onset of activity
phase 2: slower exponential increase
phase 3: levelling off at a new steady-state level determined by the intensity of exercise and level of individual fitness
What is asthma?
a disease characterized by an over-secretion of mucous, swelling of the cells lining the respiratory tract, and spasm of the smooth muscles of the respiratory system
