Respiratory General Questions

Respiratory General Questions

What is the function of the epiglottis?

It's a flap that prevents food from getting into the airway when you swallow

Do you see any anatomical reason why the right lung has more lobes than the left lung - and is subsequently larger and heavier?

The left is smaller to compensate for the room the heart takes up

What physiological advantage do you see in the changing proportions of muscle and cartilage as you descend the bronchial tree?

The smooth muscles allows the bronchiole to dilate or constrict. If you're breathing something bad it can constrict to prevent it entering the lungs or if you need to intake more air it can dilate.

What are the sinuses and where are the major sinuses located?

Air pockets in the skull connected to the nasal passages by small tubes. Forehead-frontal, between eyes- ethmoid and sphenoid, under eyes- maxillary

What is the difference between pulmonary ventilation and external respiration?

Pulmonary ventilation is breathing while external respiration is the gas exchange between lungs and blood (O into blood while CO2 goes into lungs)

What is the difference between inhalation and exhalation?

Inhalation is taking air in while exhalation is getting rid of CO2

How is the cardiovascular system related to the respiratory system?

It takes the oxygenated blood from the lungs back to the heart and then through the body.

What is the function of surfactant?

Reducing the surface tension of fluid in the lungs to make the small air sacs more stable to prevent collapse during exhalation