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Respiratory System

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  •  What are the primary (vital) functions of the respiratory system?

    Intake oxygen, expel carbon dioxide, help maintain acid-base balance

  • What are the secondary (non-vital) functions?

    Olfaction, speech, straining (ex. coughing)

  • What structures are involved in gas exchange?

    Respiratory zone of lungs and pulmonary capillaries

  • What supports air movement?

    Conducting zone of lungs and respiratory muscles

  •  What is included in the upper respiratory tract?

    Nasal/oral cavity through pharynx (larynx sometimes included)

  • Function of upper respiratory tract?

    Warms, humidifies, filters air

  • What is included in the lower respiratory tract?

     Larynx to alveoli

  • What is the conducting zone?

    Not directly involved in gas exchange; nose to terminal bronchioles

  • What is the respiratory zone?

    Directly involved in gas exchange; respiratory bronchioles to alveoli

  •  What bones form the roof of the nasal cavity?

    Sphenoid, ethmoid, frontal, and nasal bones

  • What are nasal conchae?

    Superior (ethmoid), middle (ethmoid), inferior (separate bone)

  •  Function of conchae?

    Cause turbulence and increase surface area for filtering air

  • What forms the nasal septum?

     Ethmoid bone, vomer, septal cartilage

  • What forms the hard palate?

    Maxilla (anterior ¾), palatine bone (posterior ¼)

  • What structures form the floor?

    Hard palate, soft palate, uvula

  • Function of paranasal sinuses?

    Lighten skull and add resonance to voice

  • What does cilia do?

    Moves mucus toward throat to be swallowed

  • What happens in cold weather?

    Cilia slow → congestion

  • Volume of air remaining in the lungs after a forced expiration  

    Residual Volume (RV)

  • Volume of air that can be forcefully exhaled after a normal expiration

    Expiratory Reserve Volume (ERV)

  • The maximum amount of air contained in the lungs after a maximum inspiration  

    Total Lung Capacity (TLC)

  • The maximum amount of air that can be inspired after a normal expiration  

    Inspiratory Capacity (IC)

  • Volume of air that can be forcefully inhaled following a normal inspiration  

    Inspiratory Reserve Volume (IRV)

  • The maximum amount of air that can be expired after a maximum inspiration  

    Vital Capacity (VC)

  • Volume of air remaining in the lungs after a normal expiration  

    Functional Residual Capacity (FRC)

  • Volume of air inhaled or exhaled with each breath under resting conditions

    Tidal Volume (TV)