Respitory System

Question 1

What is the main structure?

Answer 1

Larynx, Trachea, Ribcage, Bronchus, Lung, Diaphragm

Question 2

Where is the mucous lining found?

Answer 2

The nasal cavity and upper airways have a mucous lining.

Question 3

What is the function on mucus?

Answer 3

The function of mucus is to trap dirt particles and microbes before they enter the lungs.

Question 4

Describe Nasal Cavity

Answer 4

Air enters and leaves the body through the nose.​ Here it is cleaned, warmed and moistened before entering the body.​ The nose has tiny hairs to trap dirt.​ The nasal secretions contain an anti-bacterial enzyme – lysozyme.​

Question 5

What is the larynx?

Answer 5

Our voice box

Question 6

What does the larynx do?

Answer 6

The larynx houses the vocal cords.​ The entrance to the larynx is protected by the epiglottis.

Question 7

What is the structure of the Larynx?

Answer 7

The larynx is a box-like structure constructed from nine cartilages and is the entrance to the trachea and lungs.

Question 8

What is in the bronchial tree?

Answer 8

Larynx, Trachea, Bronchus, Bronchiole

Question 9

What is the structure and function of the trachea and bronchi?

Answer 9

The trachea & bronchi are reinforced with C-shaped rings of cartilage​. These rings prevent the tubes from collapsing during inhalation.

Question 10

Outline the structure and function of the upper airways

Answer 10

The upper airways are lined with a ciliated mucous membrane​. The sticky mucus traps dirt & microbes​. The cilia sweep the dirty mucus up the trachea and into the throat.

Question 11

Alveoli

Answer 11

The bronchioles terminate in microscopic clusters of air sacs – the alveoli.​ Gas exchange takes place in the alveoli.

Question 12

How does Gas exchange work?

Answer 12

Inside the alveoli of the lung, oxygen diffuses from the air into the blood in the capillaries that surround each alveolus.​

At the same time carbon dioxide diffuses from the blood capillaries into the air in the alveolus.​

This occurs because the concentration of oxygen is higher in the air than in te blood and the concentration of carbon dioxide is higher in the blood than in the air.​

Taking oxygen into the blood and removing carbon dioxide from the blood is called gas exchange.

Question 13

What is the process of breathing? pt 1

Answer 13

When we breathe in :​

The diaphragm contracts and flattens ​

The chest cavity is extended downwards​

The intercostal muscles contract​

The ribs move upwards and outwards​

This increases the volume of the lungs​

The air pressure in the lungs is now a little lower than the air pressure outside.​

Air flows from the higher pressure outside to the lower pressure inside.

Question 14

what is the process of breathing? pt2

Answer 14

When we breathe out :​

The diaphragm relaxes and bulges up into the chest cavity.​

The intercoastal muscles relax and the ribs move downwards.​

The volume of the chest cavity and lungs is therefore reduced​

Because the volume of the lungs is less,the air pressure in the lungs is a little higher than outside.​

Air flows out of the lungs from the higher pressure inside to the lower pressure outside.

Question 15

Disorders of the respitory system

Answer 15

Asthma is an allergic response to particles that are foreign to the body.​

During an asthma attack the muscles around the bronchioles contract so that the air passages become very narrow.This makes breathing very difficult.​

Lung cancer is often caused by tobacco smoke or by breathing other pollutants like asbestos fibres.​

An uncontrolled growth of cells occurs, usually in the bronchi

Question 16

Disorders of the respiratory system

Answer 16

Emphysema is caused by breathing irritating particles for long periods.​

The walls of the alveoli break down so that the surface area inside the lung is reduced.​

A person with emphysema has difficulty getting enough oxygen because of the reduced surface area for gaseous exchange​

Bronchitis may be caused by an infection by micro-organisms or by inhaled irritants such as smoke.​

The irritation causes an increase in mucus production in the bronchi and bronchioles.​

The person attempts to clear the mucous by coughing.​

Pneumonia is an acute infection in the alveoli by bacteria,viruses or fungi.​

The infection causes fluid to build to accumulate in the alveoli so that the area for exchange of gases is reduced.

Question 17

Respiratory surfaces and exchange of gases

Answer 17

The alveoli are the exchange surface for respiratory gases.​

The lungs are well suited to their gas exchange function for the following reasons :​

The alveoli give the lungs a huge internal surface area ,so that large amounts of gases can be exchanged in relatively short time​

Each alveolus is well supplied with blood vessels ,so that as much blood as possible is close to the air in the alveolus.​

The membrane that forms the wall of the alveolus is very thin, so that gas molecules do not have far to move into or out of the blood. The wall has only one layer of cells and is only one micrometre thick.​

The lungs are positioned deep inside the body to prevent excessive evaporation of the fluid that covers the respiratory surfaces. It is important that the membrane of the alveolus be covered by a thin layer of moisture because gases can diffuse into and out of the blood only when they are dissolved in fluid.​

The lung volume can be changed by movements of the respiratory muscles, so that air is made to flow into and out of the lungs.