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Physical Health Sciences > Respiratory System > Flashcards

Respiratory System Flashcards

1
Q

What is the primary function of the respiratory system?

A

To uptake air from the surroundings and allow gaseous exchange between the lungs and the bloodstream

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2
Q

What are the 6 conducting passageways?

A
  1. Nose
  2. Pharynx
  3. Larynx
  4. Trachea
  5. Bronchus
  6. Bronchioles
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3
Q

What are the conducting passageways also responsible for?

A

Preventing food/ foreign bodies from being inhaled and structural support

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4
Q

Describe the interior of the nose

A

Nasal cavity which is divided midline by the nasal septum

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5
Q

What are responsible for sense of smell and where are they located?

A

Olfactions, located on the nasal mucosa which is found just beneath the nasal bone

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6
Q

Where is mucus made and what is it used for?

A
  • Glands in the mucosa

- Protects from irritation and prevents drying

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7
Q

What is the nasal cavity lined with and what are they for?

A
  • Ciliated columnar epithelium

- Move mucus towards the throat to be swallowed/ coughed up

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8
Q

What are nasal conchae and what are they for?

A

Thin, curled bones in the nasal cavity that increase the surface area to warm and humidify air as it passes through

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9
Q

What is the nasal cavity surrounded by and what are they for?

A

Paranasal sinuses which decrease the weight of the front skull, increase resonance of voice and provide a buffer against facial trauma

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10
Q

What is the common name for the pharynx?

A

Throat

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11
Q

Describe the pharynx and explain its function

A
  • Muscular passageway
  • 12-14cm long
  • Passageway for air and food
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12
Q

What are the 3 parts of the pharynx called?

A
  1. Nasopharynx
  2. Oropharynx
  3. Laryngopharynx
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13
Q

What are tonsils and what is their function?

A
  • Clusters of lymphatic tissue in the pharynx

- Protect the body against respiratory and gastrointestinal infections

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14
Q

What are the 3 types of tonsils and where are they found?

A
  1. Palastine - back of mouth and side of tongue
  2. Lingual - on hyoid bone (root of tongue)
  3. Pharyngeal - above palate of mouth
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15
Q

What is another name for the larynx?

A

Voice box

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16
Q

What is the main function of the larynx?

A

To route air and food via the appropriate channels and plays a role in speech

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17
Q

Where is the larynx and what is it made of?

A
  • Located in front of the laryngopharynx

- Formed of hyaline cartilage and the epiglottis

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18
Q

What is the epiglottis and what is its function?

A
  • A spoon-shaped flap of elastic cartilage

- Acts as a lid and closes off the larynx during swallowing to prevent accidental inhalation of food/ foreign objects

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19
Q

What is the function of the vocal cords?

A
  • Located in the larynx
  • Control speech and sound
  • When surrounding muscles relax, vocal cords open (low pitch) and when surrounding muscles contract, vocal cords stretch across the larynx (high pitch)
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20
Q

What is another name for the trachea?

A

Windpipe

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21
Q

Describe the trachea

A
  • Located on the level of the 5th thoracic vertebrae
  • 10-11cm long
  • Made up of rigid cartilage
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22
Q

What are the 3 main functions of the rigid cartilage walls of the trachea?

A
  1. To hold the trachea open
  2. To allow the trachea to expand and contract
  3. To allow the head and neck to move
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23
Q

What is the trachea lined with and why?

A
  • Ciliated columnar epithelium

- Traps dust and dirt to prevent them being inhaled

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24
Q

At what level do the two main bronchi divide?

A

5th thoracic vertebrae

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25
Q

Describe the right main bronchus

A
  • 2.5cm long
  • Wider, shorter and more vertical
  • Divides into 3 branches in the right lung
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26
Q

Describe the left main bronchus

A
  • 5cm long
  • Narrower and longer
  • Divides into 2 branches in the left lung
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27
Q

What is the apex?

A

The narrow, superior portion of each lung located just below the clavicle

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28
Q

How many lobes does each lung have?

A
  • Right = 3 lobes (superior, middle, inferior)

- Left = 2 lobes (superior, inferior)

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29
Q

What are the lungs and thoracic cavity lined with?

A

Visceral serosa called the pleural cavity which allows the lungs to move without damage or friction

30
Q

What are bronchioles?

A

Small passageways that branch off from the bronchi and are no longer made of cartilage

31
Q

What are alveoli?

A
  • Small air sacs at the end of the bronchioles
  • Site of gaseous exchange
  • Walls that are one cell thick
  • Moist surface
32
Q

How are the alveoli connected?

A

Alveolar pores

33
Q

What is the respiratory membrane made up of?

A
  • Alveoli

- Capillaries (alveolar epithelial cells and pulmonary capillary endothelial cells)

34
Q

What provides the final line of defence for the respiratory system and where are they located?

A
  • Lymphocytes and plasma cells
  • Produce antibodies
  • Located in the alveoli along with phagocytes
35
Q

What are the 2 types of alveolar cells?

A
  1. Type I = squamous epithelium

2. Type II = produce surfactant to decrease surface tension and allow membranes to separate

36
Q

What is volume?

A

The amount of space that a substance occupies

37
Q

What is pressure?

A

A continuous force extended on/against an object

38
Q

What is capacity?

A

The maximum amount of a substance that something can contain/produce

39
Q

Describe the relationship between volume and pressure

A

High volume = Low pressure

Low volume = High pressure

40
Q

What are intercostal muscles and the diaphragm stimulated by?

A

Intercostal muscles = intercostal nerves

Diaphragm = phrenic nerves

41
Q

Are inspiration and expiration passive or active?

A 
Inspiration = active
Expiration = passive
42
Q

Describe the process of inspiration

A
  • Diaphragm contracts and flattens
  • Intercostal muscles pull ribs up and out
  • Intrapulmonary volume increases (large thoracic cavity)
  • Pressure decreases (below atmospheric pressure)
  • Air is drawn in to the lungs
43
Q

Describe the process of expiration

A
  • Diaphragm relaxes and rises to a dome shape
  • Intercostal muscles relax and ribs are pulled down and in
  • Intrapulmonary volume decreases (smaller thoracic cavity, causing elastic recoil of lungs)
  • Pressure increases (above atmospheric pressure)
  • Air is forced out of the lungs
44
Q

What is Tidal Volume and what is the usual value for men and women?

A
  • Volume of air passing through the lungs during normal breathing
  • Men = 500ml
  • Women = 500ml
45
Q

What is Inspiratory Reserve Volume and what is the usual value for men and women?

A
  • Extra volume of air that can be inhaled over and above the tidal volume
  • Men = 3100ml
  • Women = 1900ml
46
Q

What is Inspiratory Capacity and what is the usual value for men and women?

A
  • Maximum respiratory effort
  • Tidal Volume + Inspiratory Reserve Volume
  • Men = 3600ml
  • Women = 2400ml
47
Q

What is Expiratory Reserve Volume and what is the usual value for men and women?

A
  • Largest volume of air that can be expelled during maximum expiration
  • Men = 1200ml
  • Women = 700ml
48
Q

What is Residual Volume and what is the usual value for men and women?

A
  • Volume of air remaining in the lungs after forced expiration
  • Men = 1200ml
  • Women = 1100ml
49
Q

What is Functional Residual Capacity and what is the usual value for men and women?

A
  • Volume of air remaining in the airways and alveoli at the end of quiet expiration
  • Expiratory Reserve Volume + Residual Volume
  • Men = 2400ml
  • Women = 1800ml
50
Q

What is Vital Capacity and what is the usual value for men and women?

A
  • Maximum amount of air that can be expired after maximum inspiratory effort
  • Men = 4800ml
  • Women = 3100ml
51
Q

What is Total Lung Capacity and what is the usual value for men and women?

A
  • Total volume of air that the lungs can hold
  • Tidal Volume + Inspiratory Reserve Volume + Expiratory Reserve Volume + Residual Volume
  • Men = 6000ml
  • Women = 4200ml
52
Q

What factors affect the volume and capacity of the lungs?

A
  1. Elasticity - ability of lungs to return to their normal shape after a breath
  2. Compliance - measure of stretch ability of lungs and effort required to inflate alveoli
53
Q

What is the difference between internal and external gaseous exchange?

A 
Internal = cellular gas exchange
External = alveolar gas exchange
54
Q

What are the 4 main gases in air?

A
  1. Oxygen
  2. Carbon Dioxide
  3. Nitrogen
  4. Gaseous water
55
Q

Describe the pressures exerted by the gases in the air

A
  • Each gas exerts a partial pressure (PP) (mmHg) depending on its concentration
  • Oxygen = 21% of the pressure in the air
  • Gas exchange occurs when there is a difference in PP across a semi-permeable membrane (high PP - low PP)
  • High PP = high concentration of gas
  • Low PP = low concentration of gas
56
Q

How are alveoli adapted for gas exchange?

A
  1. 1 cell thick (short diffusion pathway)
  2. Large SA
  3. Located close to the capillary network
57
Q

External Respiration: How does oxygen travel in the blood?

A
  • Diffuses from alveoli into the bloodstream
  • Attaches to haemoglobin to form oxyhaemoglobin which travels in RBC
  • A small amount dissolves into the blood plasma
58
Q

External Respiration: How does carbon dioxide travel in the blood?

A
  • Transported in plasma by bicarbonate ions (HCO3-)
  • Some is carried in RBC attached to Hb in a different place to the oxygen
  • Has to be released from the bicarbonate ion before it diffuses into alveoli; HCO3- enters the RBC and combines with H+ to form carbonic acid (H2CO3) which then splits into water and carbon dioxide
59
Q

Internal Respiration: How does oxygen travel in the blood?

A
  • Attaches to haemoglobin to form oxyhaemoglobin which travels in RBC
  • Oxygen then leaves the capillaries and diffuses into body cells
60
Q

Internal Respiration: How does carbon dioxide travel in the blood?

A
  • Transported by combining with water in plasma to form carbonic acid which then releases HCO3- and H+ ions
  • This reaction occurs in the RBC and is catalysed by carbonic anhydrase
  • HCO3- is then released into the blood plasma and transported back to the lungs
61
Q

What are the 2 types of control for breathing?

A
  1. Neural control

2. Non-neural control

62
Q

What does neural control involve?

A
  • Higher brain centres
  • Respiratory centre (e.g. medulla and pons)
  • Stretch receptors
  • Irritant receptors
63
Q

How is rate and depth of breathing affected by neural control?

A
  • Neural centres in the medulla control rhythm and depth of breathing
  • Phrenic and intercostal nerves send impulses to the medulla and pons to regulate activity of respiratory muscles, the diaphragm and external intercostals
64
Q

How are stretch receptors affected by neural control?

A
  • Respond to extreme over-inflation by initiating protective reflexes
  • Example = vagus nerve sends impulses from stretch receptors to the medulla
65
Q

How are irritant receptors affected by neural control?

A
  • Found in lungs
  • Respond to inhalation of foreign substances by initiating protective reflexes
  • Example = coughing
66
Q

What does non-neural control involve?

A
  • Other receptors (e.g. pain)
  • Emotional stimuli
  • Central chemoreceptors
  • Receptors in muscles and joints
67
Q

What physical factors affect breathing in non-neural control?

A
  • Coughing
  • Talking
  • Exercising
  • Increasing body temperature
68
Q

How does volition affect non-neural control?

A
  • Volition = conscious control
  • Examples = swallowing, singing
  • Respiratory centre ignores messages from the cortex when oxygen in the blood is too low/ pH is falling
69
Q

What emotional factors affect breathing in non-neural control?

A
  • Reflexes initiated by emotional stimuli acting through the hypothalamus
  • Example: watching a horror movie and holding your breath
70
Q

What chemical factors affect breathing in non-neural control?

A
  • Levels of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the blood
  • pH levels
  • Peripheral chemoreceptors in the aorta and carotid bodies
  • Central chemoreceptors on the surface of the medulla

Physical Health Sciences (15 decks)

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