VPHY 3100 Respiratory Physiology Exam Questions and Answers Solved Correctly
Ventilation - Answers Moving air in and out of the respiratory system
External respiration - Answers gas exchange between air and capillaries in lungs
Internal respiration - Answers gas exchange between systemic capillaries and tissues of the body,
pressure gradients generate diffusion
Conducting zone - Answers outside the lungs - nasal passages --> pharynx --> epiglottis --> larynx (glottis)
Inside the lungs - yrachea --> bronchus (2 branches) --> bronchiole --> terminal bronchiole.
No gas exchange in conducting zone
Respiratory zone - Answers respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts, alveolar sacs
What happens to individual airway diameter and length as you go deeper into the lungs? Collective x-
sectional area? - Answers Diameter and length decreases. Total cross sectional areas increases
Functions of the conducting zone - Answers Passage of air, warming, humidification, filtration, immune
surveillance
mucociliary apparatus - Answers Movement of mucus w/ dust particles out of the lungs
Functions of respiratory zone - Answers Gas exchange, passage of air, immune surveillance
Gas exchange in the lungs - Answers Oxygenated blood is transported by branches of the pulmonary
vein to the heart. Deoxygenated blood is transported by the branches of the pulmonary artery to the
lungs and aveoli. Gas exchange with blood only occurs in aveoli
Alveoli - Answers Site of gas exchange. ~300x10^6. 0.25-0.5 mm in diameter. Total area = 60 - 80 m^2
Alveolar Wall - Answers Type 1 Alveolar cells - the major lining cells, accounts for 95-97% of the total
surface area
Type 2 alveolar cells - production of surfactants
Air blood barrier - ~0.3 um
Layers of respiratory membrane - Answers 1. fluid layer with surfactant
2. Type 1 alveolar cell membranes
3. narrow interstitial space
4. capillary endothelial cell membranes
Thoracic Cavity - Answers Surrounded by the rib cage (chest wall) and respiratory muscles
, Pleural (intrapleural) space - Answers Thin fluid layer between visceral pleura covering lungs (visceral)
and parietal pleura lining thoracic cavity walls.
Air free, potential space --> lungs cling to inside of thorax
Diaphragm - Answers Muscle between thoracic and abdominal cavities
Mediastinum - Answers separates two sides of the lungs
Quiet inspiration - Answers Active process
1. contraction of diaphragm --> increase in thoracic volume vertically
2. Parasternal and external intercostals contract --> raising the ribs --> increase in thoracic volume
laterally (horizontally)
Quiet expiration - Answers passive process, relaxation of inspiratory muscles
Forced expiration - Answers Active process, assisted by the abdominal muscles
Pulmonary innervation - Answers Somatic NS: innervates diaphragm and intercostal muscles
Parasympathetic NS: via vagus nerve: airway smooth mm: bronchoconstriction, goblet cells increase
secretions, blood vessels vasodilates
Sympathetic NS: via pulmonary plexus. Blood vessels: vasoconstrict. Non-innervated B2 receptors,
airway smooth mm: bronchodilation (norepinephrine and epinephrine from adrenal medulla)
Pulmonary circulation vs systemic circulation - Answers - Rate and volume of blood flow through the
pulmonary circulation = flow rate and volume through the systemic circulation
- pulmonary vascular resistance is lower --> lower BP. Structure of the pulmonary arteries contains less
smooth muscles.
Same flow rate/min
Boyles law - Answers At a constant temp, P1V1=P2V2
Thoracic expansion and contraction --> air movement
How do we get O2 into the body and CO2 out of the body? - Answers Ventilation (air in and out of lungs)
Results from pressure differences (gradient) induced by changes in lung volumes
Pressure (P) gradient - results in net gas flow and diffusion from high P to low P
Ventilation - Answers Moving air in and out of the respiratory system
External respiration - Answers gas exchange between air and capillaries in lungs
Internal respiration - Answers gas exchange between systemic capillaries and tissues of the body,
pressure gradients generate diffusion
Conducting zone - Answers outside the lungs - nasal passages --> pharynx --> epiglottis --> larynx (glottis)
Inside the lungs - yrachea --> bronchus (2 branches) --> bronchiole --> terminal bronchiole.
No gas exchange in conducting zone
Respiratory zone - Answers respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts, alveolar sacs
What happens to individual airway diameter and length as you go deeper into the lungs? Collective x-
sectional area? - Answers Diameter and length decreases. Total cross sectional areas increases
Functions of the conducting zone - Answers Passage of air, warming, humidification, filtration, immune
surveillance
mucociliary apparatus - Answers Movement of mucus w/ dust particles out of the lungs
Functions of respiratory zone - Answers Gas exchange, passage of air, immune surveillance
Gas exchange in the lungs - Answers Oxygenated blood is transported by branches of the pulmonary
vein to the heart. Deoxygenated blood is transported by the branches of the pulmonary artery to the
lungs and aveoli. Gas exchange with blood only occurs in aveoli
Alveoli - Answers Site of gas exchange. ~300x10^6. 0.25-0.5 mm in diameter. Total area = 60 - 80 m^2
Alveolar Wall - Answers Type 1 Alveolar cells - the major lining cells, accounts for 95-97% of the total
surface area
Type 2 alveolar cells - production of surfactants
Air blood barrier - ~0.3 um
Layers of respiratory membrane - Answers 1. fluid layer with surfactant
2. Type 1 alveolar cell membranes
3. narrow interstitial space
4. capillary endothelial cell membranes
Thoracic Cavity - Answers Surrounded by the rib cage (chest wall) and respiratory muscles
, Pleural (intrapleural) space - Answers Thin fluid layer between visceral pleura covering lungs (visceral)
and parietal pleura lining thoracic cavity walls.
Air free, potential space --> lungs cling to inside of thorax
Diaphragm - Answers Muscle between thoracic and abdominal cavities
Mediastinum - Answers separates two sides of the lungs
Quiet inspiration - Answers Active process
1. contraction of diaphragm --> increase in thoracic volume vertically
2. Parasternal and external intercostals contract --> raising the ribs --> increase in thoracic volume
laterally (horizontally)
Quiet expiration - Answers passive process, relaxation of inspiratory muscles
Forced expiration - Answers Active process, assisted by the abdominal muscles
Pulmonary innervation - Answers Somatic NS: innervates diaphragm and intercostal muscles
Parasympathetic NS: via vagus nerve: airway smooth mm: bronchoconstriction, goblet cells increase
secretions, blood vessels vasodilates
Sympathetic NS: via pulmonary plexus. Blood vessels: vasoconstrict. Non-innervated B2 receptors,
airway smooth mm: bronchodilation (norepinephrine and epinephrine from adrenal medulla)
Pulmonary circulation vs systemic circulation - Answers - Rate and volume of blood flow through the
pulmonary circulation = flow rate and volume through the systemic circulation
- pulmonary vascular resistance is lower --> lower BP. Structure of the pulmonary arteries contains less
smooth muscles.
Same flow rate/min
Boyles law - Answers At a constant temp, P1V1=P2V2
Thoracic expansion and contraction --> air movement
How do we get O2 into the body and CO2 out of the body? - Answers Ventilation (air in and out of lungs)
Results from pressure differences (gradient) induced by changes in lung volumes
Pressure (P) gradient - results in net gas flow and diffusion from high P to low P
