Respiratory System Flashcards
What is ventilation?
Ventilation is the active movement of water or air across a respiratory surface and it increases the rate of gas exchange by removing carbon dioxide and renewing oxygen.
What does efficient gas exchange require?
Efficient gas exchange requires a large moist surface area
Difference between water and air ventilation?
Water ventilation consists of the active movement of water across the gills via a counter-current flow which makes the extraction of oxygen very efficient. Comparatively, air ventilation required less energy however the respiratory surfaces are exposed to the air and loose water to it. Along with this, more oxygen is available in the air than in water.
What is gas transport in specialized organs?
The trachea and the lungs have a high surface area to volume ration which aids efficiency of gas exchange and is a mechanism to ensure ventilation. Breathing increases with the rate of gas exchange by removing carbon dioxide and continually renewing oxygen.
What is simple diffusion as a gas transport?
simple diffusion occurs if the distance between surface and any cell is smaller than 1mm. This occurs along a diffusion gradient whereby surface area to volume ration there is a thin barrier and therefore the efficient removal of substances after gas exchange.
What is the function of the nose?
Air containing 20% oxygen enters the body through the nostrils where it is cleaned and warmed as it passes through the nasal cavity. Mucus and noise hairs filter and moisten the air.
What is the pharynx?
The pharynx is the cavity as the back of the nose and mouth which both food and air passes through.
What is the trachea?
Also known as the windpipe, the trachea, lies at the front of the esophagus and is protected by cartilage. It has fine hair-like hairs called cilia on the walls which brush the dust upwards out out of the respiratory tract.
What is the larynx?
The larynx is the voice box and air passes through the vocal chords to produced different pitched sounds. Along with this, a flap called the epiglottis closes over the top of the larynx and below it to prevent food entering the lungs.
What is the structure and function of the Bronchi?
the trachea branches into two tubes called the bronchi - one going to each lung. The walls of the Bronchi are covered with Mucus and cilia.
What is the structure and function of the Bronchioles?
The right and left bronchi branch into many small tubes called bronchioles and the walls are lined with mucus and cilia.
What is the structure and function of Alveoli?
Alveoli are balloon like air sacs at the end of the bronchioles and their walls are very thin and surrounded by fine blood capillaries. The exchange or diffusion of oxygen into the blood from the inhaled air and of carbon dioxide out of the blood to the exhaled air takes place here. - rapid exchange of gases due to the high SA to Vol ratio.
what is the structure and function of the Diaphragm?
The diaphragm is a large dome shaped muscle that lies at the base of the chest cavity and contracts during inhalation and relaxes during exhalation.
