Respiratory Systems

Question 1

Describe the following: mouth and nose, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli

Answer 1

mouth and nose: air is warmed, filtered, and passed through the larynx and pharynx

trachea: windpipe, carries air towards the lungs
bronchi: the trachea splits into 2 bronchi, one leads to left lung, one leads to right lung
bronchioles: once within the lungs, the bronchi continues to divide into these smaller tubes
alveoli: bronchioles end in small sacs called alveoli that are covered in a network of capillaries. This is where gas exchange takes place

Question 2

What is gas exchange?

Answer 2

the passing of oxygen from the alveoli into the blood flow and the excess CO2 within the blood flow passing back into the alveoli to be breathed out

Question 3

Describe the 6 steps of gas exchange

Answer 3

1. Air is breathed in, containing 21% oxygen
2. Air reaches alveoli, oxygen is passed through alveoli walls into surrounding capillaries
3. Oxygen enters RBC where it combines with hemoglobin to form oxyhemoglobin
4. At the same time CO2 (waste product) is collected from the muscles and organs and passed into the blood stream
5. After being transported back to the lungs, CO2 passes out of the blood into the alveoli to be breathed out
6. The cycle continues as more oxygen is received into the blood flow

Question 4

Breathing in is known as…

Answer 4

inspiration

Question 5

Breathing out is known as…

Answer 5

expiration

Question 6

Where are the intercostal muscles positioned?

Answer 6

in between ribs

Question 7

What is the diaphragm?

Answer 7

a sheet of muscle that sits under the ribs and lungs

Question 8

What happens during the process of inspiration?

Answer 8

• In order to draw air into our lungs, the volume of the chest (thoracic cavity) must increase
• intercostal muscles and diaphragm contracts (flattens to increase space)
• rib cage moves up and out
• decrease of air pressure within lungs, causing air to rush in from outside

Question 9

What happens during he process of expiration?

Answer 9

• intercostal muscles and diaphragm relax, returning to their starting position
• decrease the size of thoracic cavity increasing air pressure within lungs, causing air to be forced out

Question 10

Describe our lung capacity

Answer 10

lungs can hold varying amount of air, depending on how deeply and quickly we breathe. They are never empty

Question 11

What is tidal volume?

Answer 11

The amount of air you breathe in or out with each breath

Question 12

What is inspiratory capacity?

Answer 12

The max amount you can breathe in after a normal breath out

Question 13

What is expiratory reserve volume?

Answer 13

the extra amount you can breathe out after breathing normally

Question 14

What is vial capacity?

Answer 14

the max amount of air you could possibly breath in or out in one breath

Question 15

What is residual volume?

Answer 15

The amount of air left in your lungs after you have breathed out as much as possible