EXERCISE 7: RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

MECHANICS

Primary role of respiratory system is to

distribute oxygen and remove carbon
dioxide from ALL the cells of the body
-works together with the circulatory
system
Respiration includes ventilation*
(movement of air into and out of the
lungs), and transport via blood of oxygen
and carbon dioxide between lungs and
body cells
*results from contraction of skeletal
muscles

CO2 diffuses into the blood at

the same time
*When
the
diaphragm
contracts,
external intercostal muscles contract,
volume of thoracic cavity increases
- this reduces thoracic cavity
pressure, allowing atmospheric gas to
enter the lungs (inspiration*)
*considered an active process
because muscle contraction requires ATP
*Relaxation of the diaphragm, external
intercostal muscles, decreases thoracic
cavity volum
- this increases thoracic cavity
pressure, forcing air out of the lungs
(expiration**)
**a passive process when a
person is not doing any strenuous activity
**becomes an active process
when a person is, for example, running,
when the internal intercostal muscles and
abdominal wall muscles contract
Pulmonary
minute
ventilation

amount of air that flows into and out of

the lungs in 1 minute
- Calculated by multiplying the
frequency of breathing by
the volume of each breath (the
tidal volume)
Partial pressures state of normalcy of
oxygen in arterial blood and carbon
dioxide in venous blood, which is
regulated by ventilation
- Proportion of pressure a gas
exerts in a mixture
O2 and CO2 diffuse down their partial
pressure gradients (high to low)
O2 diffuses from the alveoli into the blood,
dissolves in plasma and attaches to
hemoglobin, then diffuses to tissue
ACT 1

Alveoli air sacs in lungs where gas

exchange occurs (deoxygenated blood
brought to the pulmonary capillaries)

500 mL (0.5 L) tidal volume of normal,

quiet breathing into and out of the lungs
Inspiratory reserve volume (IRV)
amount of air that can be forcefully
inspired after a normal tidal volume
inspiration (male, 3100mL; female,
1900mL)
Expiratory reserve volume (ERV) amount of air that can be forcefully
expired after a normal tidal volume
inspiration (male, 1200mL; female,
700mL)
Residual volume (RV) amount of air
remaining in the lungs after forceful and
complete expiration (male, 1200mL;
female, 1100mL)

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Total lung capacity (TLC) maximum

amount of air contained in lungs after
maximum inspiratory effort: TLC= TV +
IRV + ERV + RV, male, 6000mL; female,
4200mL
Vital Capacity (VC) maximum amount
of air that can be inspired and then
expired with maximal effort
VC= TV + IRV + ERV, male, 4800ml;
female, 3100ml
Forced vital capacity (FVC) amount
of air that can be expelled when the
subject takes the deepest possible
inspiration
and
forcefully
expires
completely, rapidly
Forced expiratory volume (FEV1)
measures amount of vital capacity that is
expired during first second of FVC test
(normally 75%-85% of VC)
ACT 2

Caused by airway inflammatory

response triggered by allergens,
extreme temperature changes,
and exercise
- As in emphysema, airways
collapse and pinch closed
before expiration
- Volume and peak flow rates
are reduced
- Elastic recoil not diminished
- Medication in inhaler usually 2
agonist
or
acethycholine
antagonist,
relieves
bronchospasms and induces
bronchiole dilation
- May also include corticosteroid,
an anti-inflammatory agent
Breathing during exercise
Moderate aerobic exercise causes
human body to have an increased
metabolic demand, met by changes in
respiration
- Breathing and tidal volume
increase, where tidal volume
increase
is
greater
than
increase in rate of breathing

Spirometer water-filled spirometer,

device that measures air inspired and
expired by lungs over a period of time
Emphysema breathing lung tissue
has significantly loss elastic recoil
- Disease destroys walls of the
alveoli
- Airway resistance is increased
- More effort to expire as lungs
cannot passively recoil and
deflate
Acute asthma attack breathing
bronchiole smooth muscle spasms and
airways become constricted
- Clogged due to think mucus

Heavy exercise causes tidal volume and

breathing rate to reach maximum
tolerable limits
ACT 3
Molecules of liquid are attracted more to
each other than to molecules of gas at
any gas-liquid boundary
- This produces surface tension
o Causes alveoli and hollow
spaces
in
lungs
to
decrease in size

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Surfactant aqueous film covering

alveolar surfaces
- Detergent-like mixture of lipids
and proteins that decreases
surface tension
Intrapleural pressure less than
pressure in alveoli in between breaths
2 forces cause the negative
pressure
1. Tendency of the lung to
recoil due to its elastic
properties
and
the
surface
tension
of
alveolar fluid
2. Tendency of compressed
chest
wall
to
recoil
outward
- These forces pull the lungs
away
from
thoracic
wall,
creating a partial vacuum
*because the pressure in the intrapleural
space is lower than the atmospheric
pressure, any opening in the pleural
membranes equalizes the intrapleural
pressure with atm. pressure.
this
condition
is
called
pneumothorax

- can lead to lung collapse,

or atelectasis
(surfactant in PhysioEx simulation is a
mixture
of
amphipathic
lipids
(dipalmitoylphosphatidycholine,
phosphatidylglycerol, and palmitic acid))

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