Respiratory System Quiz Flashcards
What is respiration?
Organisms obtain oxygen which is necessary for the release of energy from food (breathing)
What is cellular respiration?
Reactions by which organisms release the chemical energy of food (glucose)
Formula- C6H12O6 + O2 = CO2 + H2O + energy
Occurs mostly in mitochondria
What is the order and function of the respiratory system?
- Nasal passages (filters, warms and traps dirt)
- Pharynx (divining point which continues to either trachea or esophagus)
- Epiglottis (covers trachea on swallowing to prevent food from entering the lungs)
- Larynx (contains vocal chords)
- Trachea (passes air from pharynx to lungs; contains rings of cartilage for support to keep it open)
- Bronchi (pass air from trachea to bronchioles in each lung
- Bronchioles (branch off the bronchi; pass air from bronchus to alveoli)
- Alveoli (contain the pulmonary capillaries and are the sites of gas exchange with the circulatory system)
What are the pleural membranes?
Surrounds the lung and lines the inner wall of the chest cavity
Holds it all together
What is the diaphragm?
Sheet of muscle that separates the organs of the thoracic/chest cavity from those in the abdominal cavity
What are the intercostal muscles?
Between the ribs and contract during breathing
What are the lungs?
Enclosed w/in the thoracic cavity and protected by rib cage; thin permeable membrane for diffusion; large surface area for gas exchange
How do we breathe?
Inspiration: inhaling air into the lungs
Expiration: exhaling air from the lungs
What happens in inhalation?
Diaphragm contracts and moves downward
Rib muscles contract and cage moves out
Result: increase of volume in chest cavity; lowers air pressure in chest; air moves down the trachea into lungs filling extra space
What is exhalation?
Diaphragm relaxes and moves upwards; Ribs relax and moves in and down; Result: decreases volume; increases pressure in chest; air moves out of lungs
What do red blood cells contain?
Hemoglobin which contains 4 atoms of iron and each atom bonds a molecule of oxygen
How is oxygen transported?
Oxygen in lungs diffuses from alveoli to red blood cells in capillaries
Oxygenated blood travels to the heart where blood is pumped to tissues
Oxygen diffuse from RBC to tissues
How is carbon dioxide transported?
CO2 diffuses from tissues into RBC
Deoxygenated blood travels to heart
Heart pumps blood to lungs where CO2 diffuses from RBC to alveoli and CO2 is exhaled
What is asthma?
Caused by inflammation and swelling of the bronchi and bronchioles
It reduces blood flow
Not curable but medication can make it easier to live with
What is influenza?
Virus spread by person to person or airborne
Causes coughing and sore throat among other symptoms
Goes away without treatment eventually but medication can lessen symptoms and reduce length
What is pneumonia?
Infection in lungs caused by bacteria, virus or fungi
Causes inflammation, can prevent gas exchange, shortness of breath and coughing
Treated with antibiotics; can be fatal if not treated
What is chronic pulmonary disease (COPD)?
Combination of bronchitis and emphysema; mostly caused by cigarette smoke, but also pollution dust and fumes
Causes irritation and inflammation of airways; reduces airflow; damage alveoli
No cure; proper management, medications and lifestyle changes help alleviate symptoms
What is tuberculosis?
Bacterial infection caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis
Damages lung tissues and interferes with gas exchange
Antibiotics mostly work but can be deadly
What is cystic fibrosis?
Defective gene that influences mucus production
Mucus clogs airways and airflow is restricted; more susceptible to lung infections
Clearing excess mucus and antibiotics for infections are treatments and possibly even lung transplants if possible and or necessary
What are the effects of smoking?
Causes lung cancer, COPD, asthma etc
3 components - nicotine (addictive as it produces dopamine and endorphins) carbon monoxide (keeps respiratory system from delivering o2 to cells as hemoglobin picks it up instead) tar (accumulates in alveoli preventing gas exchange)
What are artificial lungs?
iLA membrane ventilator hooked up to the body by 2 tubes
Removes carbon dioxide from blood by diffusing it into a hallow-fiber membrane that acts as artificial alveoli
Also diffuses a small amount of oxygen
What are lung transplants?
replacing one or both diseased lungs with healthy lungs
Can receive just a portion of lung if able to or entire lung
Blood and tissue type must match
Can be rejected if right medication isn’t taken or other factors like other medical conditions and environmental factors
Always risk of dying in any surgery
