The Respiratory System Flashcards
Trachea
Tube with incomplete rings of cartilage carries air to lungs
- lined with cells making mucus
- cilia which move the mucus away from the lungs
Left bronchus
Carries air to the lungs
Bronchioles
Carry air to the lungs
Alveoli
Tiny air sacs adapted for gaseous exchange
Diaphragm
Sheet of muscle with a fibrous middle part which is domes; it helps make breathing movements and separated the thorax from the abdomen
Ribs
Bones that protect and ventilate the lungs
Internal intercostal muscles
Pull the ribs down and in when you breathe
External intercostal muscles
Pull the ribs up and out when you breathe
Pleural membranes
Thin moist membranes forming an airtight deal around lungs and separating inside of thorax from the lungs
Emphysema
The walls of the alveoli are damaged and break down to form large irregular air spaces which do not exchange gases efficiently
Lung cancer
Tar and other chemicals cause cells to mutate and form cancers in the lungs and throat
Carbon monoxide
It binds to haemoglobin, lowering the oxygen levels in the blood. In pregnant women, this deprives the fetus of oxygen and can lead to smaller babies and stillbirths
Smoking also affects the…
Circulatory system and causes an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes
Adaptions of the alveoli
- moist lining for gases to dissolve in
- huge surface area
- thin walls
- permeable walls
- good blood supply
How does Carbon monoxide increase the risk of coronary heart disease?
- reduced amount of oxygen the blood can carry
- heart rate increases
- high blood pressure damages artery walls
- blood clots are more likely
- this increases the risk of coronary wart disease
