Anatomy & Physiology — Respiratory flashcards
10 of 45 cards free to study here · 9 topics · the whole deck is built into Willys
Airway anatomy, alveoli and surfactant, the mechanics of breathing, lung volumes and capacities, partial pressures and gas exchange, the oxygen–hemoglobin curve and its shifts, carbon dioxide transport, chemoreceptor control of breathing, and respiratory acidosis and alkalosis.
Learn deck · part of Anatomy & Physiology I/II · written against: Standard two-semester A&P sequence; OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology 2e, consulted as a reference; no text copied. Updated 2026-10-10.
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Where does the conducting zone of the respiratory tract end and the respiratory zone begin?The conducting zone (nose through the terminal bronchioles) moves, warms, humidifies and filters air but exchanges no gas. The respiratory zone begins at the respiratory bronchioles and continues into the alveolar ducts and alveoli; only this zone exchanges gases.Airway Anatomy
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Why does an inhaled foreign object usually end up in the right main bronchus rather than the left?The right main bronchus is wider, shorter and more vertical than the left, so objects falling down the trachea tend to drop straight into it.Airway Anatomy
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Which cell type forms most of the alveolar wall, and what structure is it part of?Type I alveolar cells — simple squamous cells covering about 95% of the alveolar surface. Together with the capillary endothelium and their fused basement membranes they form the respiratory membrane, about 0.5 µm thick.Alveoli and Surfactant
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State Boyle's law and apply it to inspiration.At constant temperature, : gas pressure falls as its volume rises. During inspiration the diaphragm and external intercostals enlarge the thoracic cavity, intrapulmonary pressure drops below atmospheric, and air flows in down the gradient.Mechanics of Breathing
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What is tidal volume, and what is its typical resting value?The volume of air moved into or out of the lungs with one normal quiet breath — about 500 mL (typical).Lung Volumes and Capacities
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State Dalton's law and use it to estimate the partial pressure of oxygen in dry air at sea level.Each gas in a mixture exerts a partial pressure proportional to its share of the mixture. Air is about 21% oxygen, so mmHg at sea level.Gas Exchange
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In what two forms is oxygen carried in the blood, and in what proportions?About 98.5% bound to hemoglobin as oxyhemoglobin and about 1.5% dissolved in plasma. The small dissolved fraction sets the PO₂ that drives loading and unloading.Oxygen Transport
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In what three forms is carbon dioxide carried in the blood, and which form is the largest?Roughly 70% as bicarbonate ions (HCO₃⁻) in plasma, about 23% bound to hemoglobin as carbaminohemoglobin, and about 7% simply dissolved in plasma (typical).Carbon Dioxide Transport
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Where is the basic rhythm of breathing generated?In the medulla oblongata.Control of Breathing
The ventral respiratory group contains the rhythm-generating neurons that drive the diaphragm and intercostals, while the dorsal respiratory group integrates sensory input. Pontine centers smooth the switch between inspiration and expiration.
Watch out: The dorsal group modifies the rhythm but does not generate it; the rhythm generator (the pre-Bötzinger complex) lies in the ventral group. -
How does hypoventilation cause respiratory acidosis?Retained CO₂ pushes CO₂ + H₂O ⇌ H₂CO₃ ⇌ H⁺ + HCO₃⁻ to the right, raising H⁺ and lowering blood pH below 7.35. The kidneys compensate over days by retaining bicarbonate and excreting H⁺.Acid–Base Links
Example: COPD or an opioid overdose that depresses the respiratory centers.
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About these cards
Review status: Second-reader reviewed, with corrections applied.
Checked against:
- OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology 2e, chapter on the respiratory system, consulted as a reference; no text copied.
- Typical volumes and partial pressures follow standard introductory A&P textbooks; all wording is original.
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