Respiratory Physiology Quiz

The amount of air inhaled or exhaled per minute during breathing. It is calculated by multiplying tidal volume (the volume of air breathed in or out per breath) by breathing frequency (the number of breaths per minute).

A substance that reduces surface tension in the alveoli of the lungs, preventing them from collapsing during exhalation. It is essential for efficient gas exchange.

The volume of air inhaled or exhaled in a single breath.

The number of breaths that a person takes per minute. It is also known as respiratory rate.

The process of breathing, involving the inhalation and exhalation of air.

A fundamental law in physics that explains the relationship between pressure, surface tension, and the radius of a bubble. It states that the pressure difference required to keep a bubble open increases as the radius of the bubble decreases.

The design of bird lungs, which differ fundamentally from those of mammals. They are highly efficient for gas exchange.

The unique structural features of bird lungs that set them apart from mammal lungs.

The process of using knockout mice and genetic techniques to study and understand the functions of different genes and proteins, especially those involved in lung surfactant.

The flow of air through the parabronchi in birds is unidirectional, meaning it flows in one direction only - from posterior to anterior.

Birds' lungs are filled gradually with air before they are used for breathing, unlike some mammals.

During inhalation in birds, both anterior and posterior air sacs expand, creating suction and drawing in air.

During inhalation, fresh air enters the posterior air sacs, while stale air from the parabronchi fills the anterior air sacs.

The movement of air in birds is orchestrated by the interplay of air sac expansion and contraction, allowing efficient gas exchange in the parabronchi.

Birds have a highly vascular membrane called the chorio-allantoic membrane that acts as their respiratory organ before hatching.

Birds transition from gas exchange through the chorio-allantoic membrane to full pulmonary breathing before hatching.

Two groups of secondary bronchi, arising from the mesobronchus, spread across the lung's surfaces. One group covers the ventral surface, the other the dorsolateral surface.

These secondary bronchi form a vast, interconnected network of air capillaries in the lung, providing a huge surface area for gas exchange.

The parabronchus, a long tubular structure, is the primary site of gas exchange in the bird's lung. It is responsible for carrying air throughout the lung.

The exchange of air between the parabronchus's central lumen and the air capillaries is primarily done through diffusion due to the small distances involved.

These are the anterior and posterior groups of secondary bronchi based on their position in the bird's respiratory system.

The parabronchi, air capillaries, and associated blood vessels constitute the primary tissue of the avian lung. They work together to carry out gas exchange.

Air flows through the center of each parabronchus, but movement between its lumen and the air capillaries relies mostly on diffusion, a passive process.

The enormous surface area provided by the dense network of air capillaries in the bird's lung allows for efficient gas exchange during flight.