Respiratory System - Textbook

Question 1

What does respiration refer to?

Answer 1

all the processes that supply oxygen to the cells of the body for the oxidation of glucose and the process by which wastes are transported to the lungs for exhalation.

Question 2

How does air enter the respiratory system?

Answer 2

Through the 2 nasal passages or the mouth

Question 3

What filters the air as it passes through the nasal cavities?

Answer 3

tiny hairs and mucus

Question 4

What is the Pharynx?

Answer 4

The passage for both food and air

Question 5

After the pharynx, what is the passage for food and for air?

Answer 5

Food travels through the esophagus

Air travels through the trachea

Question 6

Describe the trachea

Answer 6

lined with ciliated cells which produce mucus

supported by cartilage rings which keep it open

Question 7

What is the epiglottis?

Answer 7

a structure that covers the opening of the trachea during swallowing

Question 8

What is the larynx?

Answer 8

the voice box

Question 9

Describe the larynx

Answer 9

composed of two thin sheets of elastic ligaments. The vocal cords vibrate as air is forced from the lungs toward the pharynx.

It is protected by a thick band of cartilage commonly known as the Adam’s apple.

Question 10

What are bronchi?

Answer 10

two tubes that branch off the trachea and go into the lungs.

They have cartilaginous rings.

Question 11

What are bronchioles?

Answer 11

The smallest passageway of the respiratory tract. They are smaller airways that branch off the bronchi.

They do not contain cartilaginous rings.

Question 12

What are alveoli?

Answer 12

tiny air sacs in the lung (0.1-0.2mm diameter)

They are surrounded by capillaries

the place where the gases in the air diffuse into the blood according to concentration gradients.

Question 13

Describe the alveoli

Answer 13

each alveoli are composed of a single layer of cells to allow for a more rapid gas exchange

Has a thin film of lipoprotein coating them.

During inhalation, the alveoli are like little bulb-shaped sacs

During exhalation, they collapse. The lipoprotein layer allows them to pop open during inhalation

Question 14

What is the pleural membrane?

Answer 14

a thin membrane that covers the outer surface of the lungs and the inner wall of the chest cavity.

It is filled with fluids that reduce the friction between the lungs and the chest cavity during inhalation

Question 15

What is the relationship of the gas pressures during exhalation?

Answer 15

Gases move from an area of high pressure to low pressure

During exhalation, the pleural pressure (thoracic cavity pressure) is higher than atmospheric pressure so air rushes out of the lungs.

Question 16

What is the relationship of the gas pressures during inhalation?

Answer 16

Gases move from an area of high pressure to low pressure

During inhalation, the pleural pressure (thoracic cavity pressure) is lower than atmospheric pressure so air rushes into the lungs.

Question 17

What is the diaphragm?

Answer 17

a band of muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity.

It regulates the pressure in the chest cavity.

When it contracts, the muscle flattens and pulls downward increasing the chest volume.

When it relaxes, it returns to a dome shape due to the force exerted by the organs from the abdomen and the chest volume decreases.

Question 18

What are intercostal muscles?

Answer 18

The muscles between the ribs.

When they contract, they pull the ribs upward and outward increasing the volume of the chest.

The ribs are hinged to your vertebrae so the contraction of the muscles pulls them up and out.

Question 19

What is a pneumothorax?

Answer 19

a collapsed lung

It happens when there is a hole in the pleural cavity (gunshot, stabbing)

A hole makes it impossible for the chest cavity to establish pressure differences. When the diaphragm contracts and the rib cage is raised, the pressure inside the chest cavity is reduced. However, much less air is drawn into the lungs. Much of the air flows directly through the hole left by the wound

Question 20

What controls breathing?

Answer 20

the nerves from the medulla oblongata

Question 21

How is breathing controlled?

Answer 21

CO₂ dissolves in the blood and forms an acid. Should the carbon dioxide accumulate, special chemoreceptors in the medulla oblongata become activated. Once activated, the medulla oblongata relays messages to the muscles of the diaphragm and ribs to begin breathing movements.

Question 22

What is bronchitis?

Answer 22

The swelling of the bronchii

Caused by bacterial or viral infections, as well as reactions to environmental chemicals. The cause the mucous cells that line the respiratory pathway to secrete more mucus. The irritation may initiate an inflammation response and bring about tissue swelling.

Question 23

What is emphysema?

Answer 23

an overinflation of the alveoli. Continued overinflation can lead to the rupture of the alveoli.

Question 24

What is asthma?

Answer 24

a reversible narrowing of the bronchial passage.

It becomes difficult to get air out of the lungs and air pressure builds up.

Question 25

Where is the partial pressure of CO₂ the highest?

Answer 25

highest in the tissues and venous blood

Question 26

Where is the partial pressure of O₂ the highest?

Answer 26

Alveoli and the arterial blood