Respiratory System Anatomy and Physiology Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering the anatomy, physiology, and control mechanisms of the respiratory system as outlined in the lecture notes.

Upper Respiratory System

The division of the respiratory system consisting of the nose, pharynx, and larynx.

Lower Respiratory System

The division of the respiratory system consisting of the trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli.

Boyle's Law

The physical law used to explain the pressure changes that occur during inspiration and expiration.

Surfactant

A substance in the lungs that influences lung function and surface tension within the alveoli.

Compliance

A term defining the ability of the lungs to stretch and expand during ventilation.

Tidal Volume

A specific pulmonary volume representing the amount of air displaced between normal inhalation and exhalation.

Vital Capacity

A pulmonary capacity representing the total amount of air that can be exhaled after a maximum inhalation.

Pneumothorax

A medical condition characterized by a collapsed lung.

External Respiration

The process of gas exchange occurring between the alveoli and the blood.

Internal Respiration

The process of gas exchange occurring between the blood and the tissues.

Dalton's Law of Partial Pressures

A law explaining how gases move down their individual pressure gradients.

Henry's Law

A law explaining how gases dissolve in fluids.

Oxygen-Hemoglobin Dissociation Curve

A tool used to interpret the relationship between hemoglobin saturation and the partial pressure of oxygen.

Bohr Effect

The influence of $pH$ and $CO_2$ on the affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen.

Carbonic Acid-Bicarbonate Buffer System

A major physiological system emphasized for the transport of carbon dioxide in the blood.

Haldane Effect

The phenomenon where the oxygenation of hemoglobin influences the transport of carbon dioxide.

Hypoxia

A condition characterized by a deficiency in the amount of oxygen reaching the tissues.

Medulla Oblongata and Pons

The locations of the primary respiratory control centers, including the pneumotaxic and apneustic areas.

Hering-Breuer Reflex

The inflation reflex that functions to prevent overinflation of the lungs.

Primary Chemical Stimulus for Respiration

The regulation of breathing rate and depth influenced by changes in $CO_2$ (via $H^+$) and $O_2$.