BIO 202 Respiratory Final Exam Review Guide

What are the main jobs of the respiratory system?

To bring oxygen into the body and remove carbon dioxide.

What are the two main zones of the respiratory system?

Upper Tract (nose, nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx) and Lower Tract (trachea, bronchi, lungs, alveoli).

What is the role of the alveoli?

Alveoli are tiny air sacs where gas exchange occurs.

How does gas exchange occur in the alveoli?

Oxygen moves from alveoli to blood, and carbon dioxide moves from blood to alveoli.

What happens to air pressure during inhalation?

During inhalation, the chest expands, causing pressure to drop and air to rush in.

What is intrapulmonary pressure?

The pressure inside the alveoli of the lungs.

What is intrapleural pressure?

The pressure between the lungs and chest wall, which is always negative.

What part of the brain controls normal breathing rhythm?

The medulla controls the normal breathing rhythm.

What is the function of the pons in breathing?

The pons smooths breathing and coordinates timing of inhalation and exhalation.

What is Boyle’s Law?

Boyle's Law states that a larger space results in lower pressure.

What does Dalton’s Law explain?

Dalton's Law explains that air is a mixture of several gases.

What is Fick’s Law related to?

Fick's Law states that more surface area results in better gas exchange.

What factors increase airflow resistance?

Bronchoconstriction and mucus/inflammation increase resistance.

What is external respiration?

External respiration is the gas exchange between alveoli and blood.

What is the main form CO₂ is transported in blood?

About 70% of CO₂ is transported as bicarbonate.

What is the atmospheric composition of gases?

Nitrogen (78%), Oxygen (21%), and others (1%).

What does the oxygen dissociation curve show?

It shows how hemoglobin loads and unloads oxygen.

What is the Bohr Effect?

The Bohr Effect describes how an increase in CO₂ or a decrease in pH reduces hemoglobin's affinity for oxygen.

What happens during hyperventilation?

Hyperventilation is breathing too fast, which lowers CO₂ levels.

What role do central chemoreceptors play in breathing?

Central chemoreceptors detect CO₂ and pH levels in the cerebrospinal fluid.

What are the primary muscles of ventilation?

The diaphragm and external intercostals are the primary muscles of ventilation.

How do accessory muscles assist in breathing?

Accessory muscles help with inspiration and forced expiration.

What does the Haldane Effect describe?

The Haldane Effect describes how deoxygenated hemoglobin binds CO₂ more readily.

What is the process of gas exchange driven by?

Gas exchange is driven by pressure gradients.

What are type I and type II cells in the alveoli responsible for?

Type I cells are involved in gas exchange, while Type II cells secrete surfactant.

What is the function of surfactant in the alveoli?

Surfactant reduces surface tension in the alveoli.

How does airflow relate to pressure and resistance?

Airflow is proportional to pressure divided by resistance.

What can increase resistance in the respiratory system?

Narrowed airways from conditions like asthma can increase resistance.

What is the transpulmonary pressure?

The difference between intrapulmonary pressure and intrapleural pressure, driving lung expansion.

What is the role of stretch receptors in the lungs?

Stretch receptors prevent overinflation of the lungs.

What are the three main ways CO₂ is transported in blood?

Dissolved in plasma, bound to hemoglobin as carbaminohemoglobin, and as bicarbonate.

Why is it important to monitor CO₂ levels in the blood?

CO₂ levels impact pH and the body's respiratory drive.

What impact does temperature have on hemoglobin's affinity for oxygen?

An increase in temperature decreases hemoglobin's affinity for oxygen.

What is a key factor influencing internal respiration?

Cellular metabolism and pressure gradients influence internal respiration.