Y1 - Respiratory System Flashcards
What is the primary function of the respiratory system?
To facilitate gas exchange, primarily oxygen intake and carbon dioxide removal.
True or False: The trachea is also known as the windpipe.
True
Fill in the blank: The _____ are the primary sites of gas exchange in the lungs.
alveoli
Which structure connects the throat to the lungs?
Trachea
What are the two main branches of the trachea called?
Bronchi
Multiple Choice: Which of the following is NOT part of the upper respiratory tract? A) Nose B) Pharynx C) Larynx D) Bronchi
D) Bronchi
What role do the diaphragm and intercostal muscles play in respiration?
They assist in the process of inhalation and exhalation by changing the volume of the thoracic cavity.
True or False: The epiglottis prevents food from entering the trachea during swallowing.
True
What is the function of the nasal cavity in the respiratory system?
To filter, warm, and humidify the air before it enters the lungs.
Short Answer: Name the two main parts of the respiratory system.
Upper respiratory tract and lower respiratory tract.
What are alveoli?
Alveoli are small air sacs in the lungs where gas exchange occurs.
True or False: Alveoli are responsible for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
True
Fill in the blank: The surface area of the alveoli is approximately _____ square meters in an adult human.
70
What is the primary function of the alveoli?
The primary function of the alveoli is to facilitate the exchange of gases between the air (at the lings) and blood.
Multiple Choice: Which of the following structures are involved in gas exchange? A) Bronchi B) Alveoli C) Trachea D) Larynx
B) Alveoli
How does the structure of alveoli facilitate gas exchange?
Alveoli have a thin walls AND are surrounded by capillaries, allowing for efficient diffusion of gases.
Fill in the blank: Each alveolus is surrounded by a network of _____ for gas exchange.
capillaries
What are the primary respiratory muscles involved in the mechanics of breathing?
The intercostals & diaphragm.
True or False: During inhalation, the diaphragm contracts and moves downwards.
True.
What is the term for the volume of air inhaled or exhaled during normal breathing?
Tidal volume.
Fill in the blank: The maximum amount of air a person can exhale after taking the deepest breath (inhalation) possible is called _____ capacity
Vital.
What is the difference between inspiratory reserve volume and expiratory reserve volume?
Inspiratory reserve volume is the extra air that can be inhaled after a normal inhalation, while expiratory reserve volume is the extra air that can be exhaled after a normal exhalation.
Multiple choice: Which lung volume represents the total amount of air the lungs can hold?
A) Total lung capacity.
Define minute ventilation
Minute ventilation is the total volume of air breathed in or out of the lungs PER MINUTE.
Provide the formula for minute ventilation
MinuteVentilation(VE) = TidalVolume(TV)×BreathingFrequency(f)
True or False: The residual volume is the amount of air that remains in the lungs after a forced exhalation.
True.
What is the term for the process of air moving in and out of the lungs?
Ventilation.
Short answer: Name one short-term response of the respiratory system to increased physical activity.
Increased breathing rate.
What happens to lung volume during exhalation?
Lung volume decreases.
Multiple choice: Which of the following increases during exercise?
B) Tidal volume.
True or False: The intercostal muscles assist in the mechanics of breathing.
True.
What is the term for the volume of air that can be forcibly inhaled after a normal inhalation?
Inspiratory reserve volume.
Fill in the blank: The _____ center in the brain regulates the rate and depth of breathing.
Respiratory.
What is the primary function of the respiratory system?
To exchange gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide) between the body and the environment.
Multiple choice: Which lung volume cannot be measured directly by spirometry?
C) Residual volume.
True or False: During inhalation, the thoracic cavity volume decreases.
False.
Short answer: How does the body respond to a decrease in oxygen levels?
By increasing the breathing rate.
What is the role of surfactant in the respiratory system?
To reduce surface tension in the alveoli and prevent collapse.
EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE IN
MINUTE VENTILATION RESPONSE BETWEEN
SUB-MAXIMAL AND MAXIMAL EXERCISE
Sub-maximal = lower O2 demand → gradual increase in ventilation
Maximal = higher O2 demand → significant/rapid increase in ventilation
In submaximal
exercise, ventilation reaches a steady state, as aerobic metabolism
meets the oxygen demand without excess lactic acid.
During maximal exercise, ventilation spikes to
expel the high CO2 levels from lactic acid/H+ accumulation.
Provide the unit of measurement for minute ventilation
L/min
What does RCC stand for?
Respiratory Control Centre
Where is the respiratory control centre located?
In the medulla oblongata of the brain.
What are the two parts of the respiratory control centre?
The **inspiratory **centre and the **expiratory **centre.
What is the role of the inspiratory centre?
It stimulates the diaphragm and external intercostal muscles via the phrenic nerve, increasing inspiration.
What nerve does the inspiratory centre use to stimulate the diaphragm and external intercostals?
The phrenic nerve.
Which receptors provide information to the inspiratory centre?
Chemoreceptors (detect increased blood acidity)
Baroreceptors (detect increased blood pressure)
Proprioceptors (detect increased movement/tension/length change)
What is the role of the expiratory centre?
It stimulates the **abdominals **and internal intercostals via the intercostal nerve to increase expiration.
Which nerve is responsible for stimulating the muscles that aid expiration?:
The intercostal nerve.
What do stretch receptors in the lungs do?
They prevent over-inflation of the lungs by sending impulses to the expiratory centre to induce expiration (Hering–Breuer reflex).
What is diffusion?
The movement of gas molecules from an area of **high concertation **or partial pressure to an area of low concentration or partial pressure
What is gaseous exchange?
The movement of oxygen from the air into the blood, and carbon dioxide from the blood into the air.
Gaseous Exchange at the
lungs = ???
EXTERNAL RESPIRATION
Gaseous Exchange at the
muscle tissue = ???
INTERNAL RESPIRATION
What is this graph representing?
THE OXYHAEMOGLOBIN DISSOCIATION CURVE
Focus on the shift…
What happens to the % saturation of haemoglobin with oxygen when HIGH levels of CO2 is present? What is this shift known as?
During exercise, haemoglobin gives up some of its oxygen more readily at the tissues (e.g., working muscle)
The S-shaped curve shifts to the right (known as the Bohr Shift)
What is the primary factor that causes the dissociation of O2 from hemoglobin?
The primary factor is the partial pressure difference of oxygen (pO2) and carobon dioxide (pCO2) in the surrounding environment.
True or False: An increase in carbon dioxide concentration promotes the dissociation of oxygen from hemoglobin.
True
Fill in the blank: The Bohr effect describes how an increase in _______ concentration leads to the release of O2 from hemoglobin.
carbon dioxide
What role does pH play in the dissociation of O2 from hemoglobin?
A decrease in pH (increased acidity) facilitates the dissociation of O2 from hemoglobin.
What are these 4 factors responsible?
Responsible for the increase in dissociation of oxygen from haemoglobin
What does A-VO₂ Diff stand for?
Arterio-Venous Oxygen Difference
Define A-VO₂ Diff
The difference in oxygen content between the arterial blood (arriving at the muscles) and the venous blood (leaving from the muscles).
If arterial blood contains 20 ml of O₂ per 100 ml of blood, and venous blood contains 15 ml, then A-VO₂ diff = ???
= 5 ml/100 ml (meaning 5 ml of oxygen was used by the muscles).
What happens to A-VO₂ diff during exercise? Why does this happen?
A-VO₂ diff increases because muscles demand more oxygen, so they extract more from the blood.
An athlete’s A-VO₂ diff can increase if…
A performer that can enhance the muscles’ ability to extract and utilise more oxygen
What long-term adaptations can increase an athlete’s A-VO₂ diff?
- Increased mitochondria density
- . increased myoglobin
- Increased Red blood cell count (Hb)
- Increased muscle capillary density
Define VO₂-Max
The maximum volume of oxygen that an individual can consume, transport, and use per minute during maximal aerobic exercise.
What is VO₂-Max measured in?
Millilitres of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute
→ ml/kg/min
True or False
“An increase in AVO₂ Diff increases VO₂-Max?”
True
A popular Exam Question on VO₂-Max:
Using Figure 2, can you explain the changes in VO₂-Max following long-term aerobic training?
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:
1. THE EFFECTS OF AEROBIC
TRAINING ON VO2-MAX
2. WHY THE INCREASE IN VO2-MAX
OCCURS (i.e., LTA)
3. THE BENEFITS OF A HIGHER VO2-
MAX ON SPORTING
PERFORMANCE
