A&PII Exam 3 Study Guide: Respiratory & Digestive Systems

What is the primary function of the upper respiratory tract?

To filter, warm, and humidify incoming air.

What type of epithelium lines the conducting airways of the respiratory system?

Pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium.

What structures are included in the lower respiratory tract?

The trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli.

What is the role of nasal conchae in the respiratory system?

They create air turbulence, trapping particles in mucus.

What is the function of the pharynx?

It serves as a common passageway for both air and food.

What type of epithelium lines the oropharynx?

Stratified squamous epithelium, which protects against abrasion.

Why is nasal breathing preferred?

Because it conditions the air more effectively.

What is the glottis?

The opening to the larynx, involved in voice production.

What does the epiglottis do during swallowing?

It covers the larynx to prevent aspiration.

What are vocal folds responsible for?

Sound production.

What supports the trachea and connects it to the bronchi?

C-shaped cartilage.

What do secondary bronchi do?

They deliver air to individual lobes of the lungs.

Where does gas exchange primarily occur in the respiratory system?

In the alveoli.

What does Boyle's Law state about pressure and volume?

Pressure and volume are inversely related.

What is pulmonary ventilation?

The movement of air in and out of the lungs.

When the diaphragm and external intercostals contract…

thoracic volume INCREASES, allowing inspiration.

What is tidal volume (TV)?

The volume of air during a normal breath.

What is inspiratory reserve volume (IRV)?

The additional air inhaled after a normal inhalation.

What does Dalton's Law state about gas mixtures?

The total pressure of a gas mixture is the sum of the partial pressures of individual gases.

What is the primary transport method for oxygen in the blood?

Oxygen is primarily transported bound to hemoglobin in red blood cells.

What can poorly controlled diabetes lead to?

Metabolic acidosis.

What is the role of the carbonic-acid-bicarbonate buffer system?

It resists pH changes in the body.

What is the function of the pancreas in the digestive system?

It is an accessory digestive organ.

What is peristalsis?

The movement of material through the digestive tract.

Where does carbohydrate digestion begin?

In the mouth via salivary amylase.

What is the function of parietal cells in the stomach?

They secrete hydrochloric acid.

What do chief cells produce in the stomach?

Pepsinogen, which becomes pepsin and digests proteins.

What is the role of lacteals in the small intestine?

They absorb fats into the lymphatic system.

What do Peyer's patches do in the ileum?

They are concentrated lymphoid nodules that play a role in immune response.

What hormone is secreted by G cells in the stomach?

Gastrin.

What does VIP (vasoactive intestinal peptide) stimulate?

Mucus secretion and dilation of capillaries.

What is the primary function of the large intestine?

Dehydration and compaction of indigestible material into feces.

What is metabolism?

The sum of all chemical processes in the body.

What does the citric acid cycle produce?

NADH and FADH₂ by removing hydrogen atoms.

What is the fastest source of energy for ATP production?

Glucose.

What does lipolysis do?

It breaks down triglycerides into glycerol and fatty acids.

What is glycogenolysis?

The breakdown of glycogen to glucose.