Unit 1: the respiratory system Flashcards
A performer continues to breathe heavily after they have stopped excercising because… (3 reasons)
- Help their body recover
- Elevated breathing and heart rate help to transport oxygen to the working muscles quicker to transport carbon dioxide away.
- Capillaries remain dilated at the working muscles, to flush lactic acid out with freshly oxygenated blood.
Continued elevated oxygen consumption is known as …
… EPOC
EPOC
(Excess Post exercise Oxygen Consumption) The amount of oxygen consumed during recovery above that which whould have been consumed at rest.
Nasal Cavity
(Nose and Mouth)
Air enters the respiratory system through the nose and mouth. It is here that the air is warmed, flitered and moistened. From teh nose/mouth the air enters the throat
Pharynx
(Throat)
The pharynx lies behind the nose & mouth and both cavaties open into it. Both food and air pass through the pharynx, the food is then directed to the oesophogus.
Epiglottis
This is a cartilagenous structure that forms a flap at the back of the throat. it’s role is to cover the oesophogus when we breathe, so that air does not enetr the stomach and cover the trachea when we eat so that food doesnt enter the lungs.
Larynx
(Voice Box)
Also known as the voice box, this is where speech is created. the air moves over the vocal chords in the laryns where they are moved and adjusted to create sounds and words.
Trachea
(Windpipe)
The trachea is a tube that connects the pharyns and larynx to the lungs. It is approx 10-12 cm long and is kept open byb a series of C-shaped rings of cartilage. It contains cells that remoe foreign particles from the air.
Bronchi
The Trachea divides into two bronchi (One Bronchus), one leading to each lung. Each bronchi then breaks into smaller tubes known as bronchioles.
Broncioles
The bronchioles terminate into clusters of air sacs known as alveoli.
Alveoli
Alveoli are air sacs in your lungs. Through diffusion oxygen moves from the air sacs to the capillaries and carbon dioxide moves from the capillaries to the air sacs.
Inspiration at rest
When breathing in the external intercostal muscles contract which pulls the ribcage upwards and outwards. The diaphragm muscle contracts causing it to flatten which increases the volume of the thoracic cavity. This causes the air pressure insode the lungs to decrease relative to the outside pressure. So oxygen particles move from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure and the lungs are filled with air.
Inspiration during excercise
The diaphragm and intercostal muscles contract with greater force. As well as this the sternocleidomastoid, the scalene muscles and the pectoralis minor all assist in lifting the ribcage by pulling the clavicle outwards and upwards.
Expiration at rest
Breathing out is a passive process. the diaphragm muscle relaxes causing it to dome upwards which reduces the volume of the thoracic cavity. The internal intercostal muscles also relax causing the rib cage to move downwards and inwards. This causes the pressure in the lungs to increase, causing carbon dioxide rich air to rush out of the lungs before the next inhalation.
Expiration during excercise
Expiration during excercise is an active process.
The internal intercostal muscles force the rib cage downwards and inwards and the rectus abdominis which helps to force the diaphragm upwards. Both of these actions greatly reduce the volume of the lungs, increasing the pressure inside them and consequently forcing air out quicker.
Tidal Volume (TV)
The volume of air inspired or expired per breath. Approximately 500ml during breathing at rest
Frequency (f)
The number of breaths taken in one minute.
Untrained performer resting frequency = 12 to 15 breaths per minute.
Minute Ventilation (MV / ME)
The volume of air inspired or expired in one minute. It is calculated by multiplying TV with f .
Minute ventilation at rest for the average individual: TV (500ml) x f (15/min) = 7500ml/min
Inspiratory reserve volume (IRV)
The volume of air that can be forcibly inspired after a normal breath in. (tidal volume)
Expiratory reserve volume (ERV)
The volume of air that can be forcibly expired after a normal breath out. (tidal volume)
Residual Volume (RV)
The volume of air that is remaining in the lungs after forced expiration.
What happens to tidal volume during exercise ?
During exercise TV increases to meet the O2 demand.
What happens to tidal volume once exercise stops?
TV drops rapidly as soon as exercise stops, followed by a more gradual decrease. TV remains slightly elevated than resting TV levels because oxygen is needed for recovery – to repay the oxygen debt/ as well as exhale carbon dioxide and remove lactic acid.
Alveoli adaptions: Thin
The alveoli walls are only one cell thick which allows which allows for quick and easy diffusion of both oxygen and carbon dioxide.
