Week 9 Flashcards
Conducting Zone
Anatomical Dead Space
- No gas exchange
- Reinforced with cartilage
- Smooth Muscle regulates diameter
Respiratory Zone
- Gas Exchange
- little cartilage or smooth muscle
Regions in the conducting zone
Larynx, Trachea, primary bronchi, secondary bronchi, tertiary bronchi, bronchioles and terminal bronchioles
Regions in the respiratory zone
Respiratory bronchioles, alveolar sacs
tidal volume
Volume of single breath
Vital Capacity
Limit for inhalation/exhalation
Residual Volume
Conducting zone (about 150 mL) plus minimum volume in alveoli (1L)
Total lung capacity
Vital Capacity + residual volume
Functional Residual Capacity
Volume of conducting zone and alveoli after normal exhalation
How is the fresh air that enters the lungs with each breath determined
tidal volume - dead space volume = about 350 mL at rest
How does functional residual capacity impact the PO2 and PCO2 relative to the outside air
- FRC (about 2000mL at rest) is old air that already underwent gas exchange
- only small fraction of alveolar air is being replaced with each breath because FRC»_space; Vt-Vd
- Causes lower O2 pressure and higher CO2 pressure compared to outside
Calculating total ventillation
Total volume of air flow into the lungs and airways per minute
= tidal volume x breathing frequency
In humans, about 6L/min = 500 mL x 12 / minutes
Calculating Alveolar Ventilation
Total air flow into the alveoli per minute (anatomical dead space doesn’t participate in gas exchange)
= (Vt-Vd) x fR
In humans, 4.2 L/min = (500mL-150mL) x 12/min
How does alveolar ventilation determine gas exchange
- Determines alveolar partial pressures, and thus diffusion rates
- Increasing AV increases the rate at which fresh air enters the FRC in alveoli
Does tidal volume or breathing frequency lead to a greater improvement in gas exchange
Increasing tidal volume produces a greater increase in gas exchange