Respiratory System Flashcards
What are the two main functions of the respiratory system?
Breathing in/out (pulmonary ventilation)
Gaseous Exchange
Define gaseous exchange
The movement of oxygen from the alveoli into the blood stream and carbon dioxide from the blood stream into the alveoli
What are the two processes (with sites) during gaseous exchange?
External respiration (at the lungs) Internal respiration (at the muscle tissues)
How is oxygen transported around the body (with %)?
97% - Haemoglobin (RBC)
3% - Blood plasma
How is CO2 transported around the body (with %)?
70% dissolved in water (carried as acid)
23% withing haemoglobin
7% in blood plasma
Breathing rate (f) definition
Number of inspirations and expirations taken per minute
Breathing rate at rest vs during exercise
12-15 breaths per min vs 40-60 breaths per min
Tidal volume (TV) definition
The volume of air inspired or expired per breath (how deep a breath is)
Tidal volume at rest vs during exercise
500 ml vs 2.5-3.5 l
Minute ventilation (ME) defintion
The volume of air inspired or expired per minute (f x TV = ME)
Minute ventilation at rest vs during exercise
7.5 - 5.5 l/min vs 100 - 210 l/min
What happens to breathing rate during exercise?
Increases in proportion to exercise intensity (until 60 breaths per min)
What happens to tidal volume during exercise?
Initial increase in proportion to exercise intensity (up to 3 litres)
Then plateaus during sub maximal exercise
Why does tidal volume plateau?
The increase in breathing rate (exercise intensity) doesn’t allow for enough time to make a deep breath
What happens to minute ventilation during exercise?
Anticipatory rise
Rapid increase with exercise intensity
Then steady state plateau at sustained sub maximal intensity
