The Respiratory System

Question 1

What’s part of the Upper Respiratory System?

Answer 1

Nose, Nasal Cavity & Pharynx

Question 2

What’s part of the Lower Respiratory System?

Answer 2

Larynx
Trachea
Bronchi
Lungs

Question 3

Function of the Conducting Zone?

Answer 3

Conducts air into the lungs

Question 4

Function of the Respiratory Zone?

Answer 4

Site of gas exchange

Question 5

Muscles of Inspiration?

Answer 5

Diaphragm
External Intercostals
Scalenes
Sternocleidomastoid

Question 6

Muscles of Expiration?

Answer 6

Internal Intercostals
External Oblique
Internal Oblique
Transversus
Abdominis
Rectus Abdominis

Question 7

What are the 3 regions of Pharynx?

Answer 7

Nasopharinx
Oropharinx
Laryngopharinx

Question 8

What is a feature of the Left Lung?

Answer 8

Separated into two lobes by an oblique fissure

Question 9

What is a feature of the Right Lung?

Answer 9

Three lobes separated by oblique and horizontal fissures

Question 10

What are the 2 phases of Pulmonary Ventilation?

Answer 10

Inspiration (inhalation) and Expiration (exhalation) of air

Question 11

What’s Boyle’s Law?

Answer 11

A law stating that the pressure of a given mass of an ideal gas is inversely proportional to its volume at a constant temperature.

Question 12

What is Atmospheric Pressure?

Answer 12

It is the pressure within the atmosphere of Earth (or that of another planet).

Question 13

What is Intrapulmonary Pressure?

Answer 13

It’s subatmospheric during inspiration and greater than the atmospheric pressure during expiration.

Question 14

What is Inspiration?

Answer 14

Gases flow into the lungs

Question 15

What is Expiration?

Answer 15

Gases exit the lungs

Question 16

What are the 3 factors influencing Pulmonary Ventilation?

Answer 16

Airway Resistance
Alveolar Surface Tension
Lung Compliance

Question 17

What’s the process of Inspiration?

Answer 17

1. Inspiratory muscles contract (diaphragm descends
   and external intercostals contract; rib cage rises)
2. Thoracic cavity V increases
3. Lungs are stretched (intrapulmonary V increases)
4. Intrapulmonary P drops. Boyle’s Law: intrapulmonary
   P becomes lower than the atmospheric P (758 mmHg)
5. Air (gases) flows into lungs down its P gradient until
   intrapulmonary P is equal to atmospheric P

Question 18

What’s the process of Expiration?

Answer 18

1. Inspiratory muscles relax (diaphragm rises and
   external intercostals relax; rib cage descends
   due to elastic recoil of costal cartilages)
2. Thoracic cavity V decreases
3. Elastic recoil of lungs; intrapulmonary
   V decreases
4. Intrapulmonary P raises (762 mmHg), greater than
   the atmospheric P
5. Air (gases) flows out of the lungs down its P gradient
   until intra-pulmonary P is equal to atmospheric P

Question 19

What is the function of Alveoli?

Answer 19

The function of the alveoli is to get oxygen into the blood stream for transport to the tissues, and to remove carbon dioxide from the blood stream

Question 20

What is Bronchi and Subdivisions?

Answer 20

Air passages undergo 23 orders of branching

Branching pattern called the bronchial (respiratory) tree

On entering the lungs primary bronchi divide to form the secondary (lobar) bronchi
Tertiary (segmental) bronchi
Bronchioles
Terminal bronchioles

Question 21

Whats the function of a Respiratory Membrane?

Answer 21

Exchange of O2 and CO2 between air spaces in the lungs and the blood

~0.5 m thick air-blood barrier to allow rapid diffusion of gases