The Respiratory System: An Overview

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Questions and Answers

The respiratory system's primary function during exercise is to:

  • Decrease the heart rate to conserve energy.
  • Divert blood flow away from the lungs.
  • Reduce oxygen intake to match resting levels.
  • Facilitate increased oxygen intake and distribution. (correct)

What is the primary function of the epiglottis?

  • To regulate the rate of breathing.
  • To direct air into the bronchi.
  • To prevent food from entering the trachea. (correct)
  • To filter air entering the respiratory system.

During inhalation, what action does the diaphragm perform?

  • Remains stationary to stabilize the thorax.
  • Rises to compress the lungs.
  • Contracts to decrease the oxygen capacity.
  • Lowers to expand the chest cavity. (correct)

Which of the following describes the role of alveoli in the respiratory system?

<p>They are sacs where gas exchange occurs with the blood. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the composition of exhaled air?

<p>Primarily carbon dioxide. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which pathway does air take as it travels through the respiratory system?

<p>Trachea → Bronchi → Bronchioles → Alveoli (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of capillaries surrounding the alveoli?

<p>Facilitate gas exchange between the alveoli and the bloodstream. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Arteries that are part of the alveolar capillaries carry:

<p>Oxygenated blood to the tissues. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

If a person has a condition that reduces the surface area of their alveoli, which of the following would most likely occur?

<p>Decreased ability to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why is the trachea structured with rigid cartilage rings?

<p>To keep the trachea open and prevent it from collapsing during breathing. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Respiration

Intake and distribution of oxygen within the body, especially during increased physical activity.

Trachea (windpipe)

The tube that carries air from the throat into the lungs. It is kept open by rings of cartilage.

Epiglottis Function

A flap of cartilage that closes over the trachea during swallowing to prevent food from entering the airway

Bronchi

The two main air passages that branch from the trachea and lead into the lungs, allow air to pass into the lungs.

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Diaphragm's Role

The primary muscle used in breathing; it contracts and flattens to increase the volume of the chest cavity and inflates the lungs.

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Alveoli

Tiny air sacs in the lungs where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place.

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Bronchioles

Smallest air passages in the lungs, connecting the bronchi to the alveoli.

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Alveolar Capillaries

Blood vessels surrounding alveoli that facilitate gas exchange.

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Arteries role in respiration

Blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood away from the heart to the body's tissues.

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Veins role in respiration

Blood vessels that carry deoxygenated blood back to the heart and lungs.

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Study Notes

Overview of Respiration

  • During periods of increased oxygen demand, such as exercise, the respiratory system supports oxygen intake and distribution.
  • An elevated breathing rate during exercise signifies the body's need for more oxygen.
  • An accelerated heartbeat assists in distributing oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.

Components of the Respiratory System

  • Respiration starts at either the nose or mouth, where air is drawn in.
  • The inhaled air proceeds through the trachea, a dedicated airway separate from the esophagus, which is for food passage.
  • The epiglottis blocks simultaneous swallowing and breathing by sealing off the trachea during swallowing.
  • Bronchi serve as the connection between the trachea and the lungs.
  • The respiratory design features a complex network of tubes.

Mechanics of Breathing

  • Breathing in is facilitated by muscles in the thorax and the diaphragm, a sizable muscle located under the lungs.
  • The diaphragm descends during inhalation to enable lung expansion, which boosts oxygen capacity.
  • The diaphragm ascends during exhalation to force air out.

Alveoli and Gas Exchange

  • Following passage through the trachea and bronchi, air flows into smaller tubes known as bronchioles, which terminate in alveoli.
  • Alveoli function as small sacs where oxygen from the air diffuses into the blood.
  • The lungs collectively contain over 600 million alveoli.
  • Each alveolus is enveloped by capillaries, which transport oxygen to the whole body.
  • Both veins and arteries are part of alveolar capillaries.
  • Arteries are responsible for transporting oxygen to tissues, whereas veins transport deoxygenated blood to be re-oxygenated.
  • Carbon dioxide (CO2), a waste gas, is exchanged for oxygen in the alveoli
  • The composition of exhaled air is primarily CO2, not oxygen.

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