BIOL 141 Respiratory System (Exam 3)

When atmospheric pressure > intrapulmonary pressure:

Air will enter the lungs - inhaling.

The pressure of the air outside your body is called:

Atmospheric pressure.

Respiratory acidosis:

Blood is too acidic.

Which two ways can carbonic acid break down?

Carbon dioxide & water. Bicarbonate & hydrogen ions.

Hypercapnia:

Carbon dioxide concentrations in the blood are too high.

What is the waste product of body cells?

Carbon dioxide.

Visceral pleura:

Connective tissue lining the lungs.

As volume increase, pressure:

Decreases.

Inhalation and exhalation are possible because of:

Differences in atmospheric and intrapulmonary pressure.

As volume decreases, pressure:

Increases.

What contains the true vocal cords?

The larynx.

What is the function of the alveoli in the lungs?

They provide enormous surface area for gas exchange.

What is the last part of the respiratory conducting system?

Respiratory bronchioles.

If a disease causes hydrogen ion concentrations in the body fluids to increase, the carbonic acid equation will:

Run to the left.

Name the order in which air travels after the primary bronchus.

Secondary bronchi. Tertiary bronchi. Bronchioles. Terminal bronchioles. Respiratory bronchioles.

Function of the peripheral chemoreceptors:

Sense CO2 and H+. More CO2 = more action potentials.

Pleural cavity:

Separate compartments for each lung. Created by visceral and parietal pleura.

Inside the lungs, each bronchus divides into:

Smaller and smaller bronchi.

What is surfactant?

Surfactant is a chemical secreted by the Type II alveolar cells.

At first, you override the integration center while holding your breath, causing you to continue to hold your breath. Eventually the _______________ overrides you and makes you breathe.

Telencephalon.

If CO2 in the blood increases, what happens in the Cerebral Spinal fluid?

The CO2 will diffuse into the CSF. The carbonic acid equation will run to the right, increasing H+ concentrations in the CSF. Central chemoreceptors generate more action potentials due to increased H+ concentrations. This stimulates the respiratory control center, which also generates more action potentials. This causes the motor neurons that innervate the respiratory muscles to cause them to contract harder and more often. Breathing harder allows more CO2 to diffuse from the blood, into the lungs, and then be exhaled from the body.

Gas exchange occurs in:

The alveoli.

Pressure:

The amount of force in which something pushes against something else.

Peripheral chemoreceptors are located in:

The aorta and carotid arteries.

Cold, dry air will kill the cells of the lungs. What prevents this?

The blood vessels in the nose warm, humidify, and clean the air.

Why is it common to get nosebleeds during periods of dry weather?

The cells lining the nose and nasal cavity are damaged as they dry out, causing the capillaries to become damaged as well since they run so close to the surface of the inside of the nose.

What is responsible for transporting air between the outside of the body and deep inside the lungs?

The conducting division of the respiratory system.

What are the effectors (targets) of the respiratory system?

The diaphragm and other respiratory muscles to change breathing rate.

When the diaphragm muscle relaxes, where does it go? What happens to the lungs?

The diaphragm pushes into the thoracic cavity, and the chest falls downward. This decreases the volume inside the thoracic cavity, increasing the pressure. As lung volume decreases, intrapulmonary pressure becomes greater than atmospheric pressure and air is pushed out of the lungs - exhalation.

What is the most important muscle that controls respiration?

The diaphragm. Does not attach to your lungs, just forms the floor of the thoracic cavity.

The trachea travels from:

The larynx towards the lungs.

What is commonly referred to as the adams apple?

The larynx.

What changes the volume in your lungs?

The muscles in your chest & the diaphragm.

Boyle's Law:

The pressure of a given quantity of gas is inversely proportional to its volume.

The trachea divides into a pair of tubes called:

The right primary bronchus. The left primary bronchus.

Blood low in oxygen and high in carbon dioxide is carried to the heart by:

The superior and inferior vena cava. Blood enters the right atrium and right ventricle before it is pumped into the pulmonary artery to the lungs. Then it goes in the capillaries of the alveoli.

Which structure of the respiratory system contains rings of cartilage? Why?

The trachea has rings of cartilage to reinforce the trachea and prevent it from collapsing when you inhale.

When atmospheric pressure = intrapulmonary pressure:

There is now airflow into or out of the lungs.

What is the function of the hairs on the inside of the nose?

They slow the flow of air. They create turbulence. This causes dust and other particles to fall out of the air stream, which will be caught in mucous and not travel to the delicate tissues of the lungs.

Function of the respiratory division:

To allow gases, such as Carbon Dioxide and Oxygen, to diffuse between the air you inhale and the blood.

What is the function of the larynx?

To keep food and drink out of the lungs. It is pulled up to the epiglottis when swallowing to block off the trachea.

What is the function of surfactant?

To prevent the walls of the alveoli from sticking together from an attraction between water molecules. Surfactant prevents hydrogen bonds between these molecules to prevent the walls of the alveolus from collapsing.

What is the function of the respiratory system?

To transport gases between the blood stream and the outside air.

Surfactant is secreted by:

Type II alveolar cells.

How is air humidified in the nose?

Water evaporating from the capillaries humidifies the air.

Are visceral and parietal pleura continuous with one another?

Yes, they surround each lung with separate compartments called pleural cavities.

All alveoli are covered with:

A capillary bed.

What are the vocal cords?

A pair of thick tissue folds that may vibrate as exhaled air passes over them. They cause sounds of different pitches.

What other muscles assist during forceful respiration?

Abdominal. Pectoral.

Will holding your breath after normal breathing or hyperventilating result in a longer time of breath holding?

After hyperventilating you should be able to hold your breath longer. CO2 and H+ go down.

When intrapulmonary pressure > atmospheric pressure:

Air will leave the lungs - exhaling.

What makes up the respiratory membrane?

Alveoli + capillary wall.

Volume:

Amount of space inside any container.

__________ take blood to the capillary bed, while _________ take blood away from the capillary bed.

Arteries go to capillary beds. Veins take blood away from capillary beds.

Respiratory alkalosis:

Blood is too basic.

Oxygen chemoreceptors generate action potentials when:

Blood oxygen levels are extremely low.

The most important factors controlling respiration are the:

CO2 and H+ concentrations in the blood and CSF.

Hypocapnia:

Carbon dioxide concentrations in the blood are too low.

The most important factor controlling respiration is the hydrogen ion concentration of __________________.

Cerebral spinal fluid.

What is the sensor involved in breathing?

Chemoreceptors.

Respiratory control center:

Circuit of neurons in the base of the brain (medulla and pons) that control the rate and depth of breathing. Motor neurons leaving the RCC innervate the diaphragm and chest muscles, causing them to contract.

Parietal pleura:

Connective tissue lining that walls of your chest.

When you blow air out of your nose, you _____________ the volume inside your lungs, which _______________ the pressure inside your lungs. This causes air to be pushed out of your body.

Decrease the volume. Increase the pressure.

Gas exchange:

Diffusion of gases between inhaled air and the blood.

The driving force that causes oxygen to leave the alveoli and enter the blood, and causes carbon dioxide to leave the blood and enter the alveoli is called:

Diffusion.

When the diaphragm muscle contracts, where does it go? What happens to the lungs?

Downwards and outwards. Creates more space in the chest cavity, and pressure inside the pleural cavity drops. As lung volume increases, intrapulmonary pressure becomes less than atmospheric pressure, and air is sucked into the lungs - inhalation.

Central chemoreceptors are more sensitive to:

H+

What does not cross the blood brain barrier?

H+ does not cross the blood brain barrier, but CO2 does. If you have hypercapnia (Increase CO2 in the brain), the equation just runs to the right to make H+.

What happens when you have hypercapnia?

High concentrations of CO2 in the blood. Carbonic acid equation will run to the right, which increases the H+ in the blood, making it acidic - respiratory acidosis. The respiratory control center will cause you to breathe faster and deeper. This causes carbon dioxide to diffuse from the blood and into the lungs. CO2 levels decrease, equation will run to the left, and the H+ concentration will decrease as well.

While you are exhaling, the intrapulmonary pressure is ________________ than the atmospheric pressure.

Higher than.

Partial Pressure:

How much of the total air pressure is due to any one gas.

A water molecule is formed when two hydrogen atoms are covalently bonded to an oxygen atom. Water has surface tension because neighboring water molecules form weak hydrogen bonds with one another. Surfactant interferes with:

Hydrogen bonds.

While you are holding your breath for a long period, you will develop:

Hypercapnia. Acidosis.

Why is important that each lung is encased in its own pleural cavity?

If one lung collapses due to a chest wound, then the other lung should still be functional.

What muscles are used for respiration?

Inhalation = External intercostals, diaphragm, sternocleidomastoid. Expiration = Internal intercostals, intercostalis, subcostals.

The pressure of the air inside of your alveoli is called:

Intrapulmonary pressure.

What is the function of the trachea?

It cleans the air. It is lined with cilia that move mucous and debris away from the lungs and towards the pharynx.

Where does the mucous and debris caught in the trachea eventually go?

It it pushed towards the pharynx by cilia and then swallowed into the digestive system.

When you breathe very quickly, what happens with the carbonic acid equation?

It runs to the left. CO2 is leaving quickly, decreasing the concentration of it in your blood. Therefore, the equation runs to the left to create more CO2. Hypocapnia & alkalosis.

When you exercise, what happens with the carbonic acid equation?

It runs to the right. You are producing more CO2 as a waste product, so the equation will run to the right to create more H+ to balance the equation. Hypercapnia & acidosis.

What does the carbonic acid equation seek?

Just equilibrium, NOT necessarily homeostasis.

When swallowing, the ___________ is pulled up to the epiglottis.

Larynx.

What is the function of the pharynx?

Lined with mucous to trap dust. Warms, humidifies, and cleans inhaled air.

Chemoreceptors: Where are they located? What do they do?

Located in your arteries. Monitor the carbon dioxide, hydrogen ion, and (oxygen) levels in the blood. They adjust the rate of breathing accordingly.

While you are inhaling, the intrapulmonary pressure is ________________ than the atmospheric pressure.

Lower than.

If you are stabbed in the chest, there may be a hole connecting the outside of your body and your pleural cavity. In this case, intrapleural pressure would always equal atmospheric pressure. Would it still be possible to inflate the lung in this situation?

NO. Air would be sucked into the pleural cavity every time you inhale, and pushed out of the pleural space every time you exhale. The lung would pull away form the inside of the chest wall and collapse.

Place the respiratory structures in the order that air enters the body:

Nose Nasal Cavity Pharynx Larynx Trachea Bronchial tree Alveoli

Infant Respiratory Distress Syndrome (IRDS):

Occurs when an infant is born before the cells in the alveoli begin to produce surfactant. Every time the infant exhales, the alveoli collapse, and the baby has to struggle to re-inflate the lungs. Treated by administering artificial surfactant, along with hormones to stimulate the maturation of the type II alveolar cells.

What is the carbonic acid equation?

Occurs when carbon dioxide mixes with water. This forms carbonic acid, which is not stable and will break down in one of two ways. (Carbon dioxide & water OR bicarbonate & hydrogen ion). CO2 + H20 <-> H2CO3 <-> HCO3- + H+

How many cells protect the lungs?

Only two cells. The wall of the air sac is one cell thick, and the capillaries covering the lungs are one cell thick.

In the capillary beds of body tissues, what happens to oxygen and carbon dioxide?

Oxygen diffuses into the body cells and carbon dioxide diffused into the blood.

How does gas exchange occur in the alveoli?

Oxygen from inhaled air enters the alveolus. It diffuses across the respiratory membrane. Then, it diffuses into the blood in the capillaries. At the same time, CO2 waste in blood diffuses out of the capillary, across the respiratory membrane, and into the alveolus. This CO2 will be expelled form the lungs the next time you exhale. The oxygen will leave the lungs through the pulmonary veins, enter the left atrium & left ventricle, and be pumped to the body cells by the aorta.

Oxygen and Carbon dioxide concentrations in various parts of the body are measured as:

Partial pressures.

The pleural cavity contains:

Pleural fluid. This causes visceral pleura and parietal pleura to stick to one another. Therefore, the lungs are stuck to the inside of the chest wall.