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Exercise 7 Respiratory System Mechanics Essay

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EXERCISE 7 Respiratory System Mechanics O B J E C T I V E S 1. To explain how the respiratory and circulatory systems work together to enable gas exchange among the lungs, blood, and body tissues 2. To define respiration, ventilation, alveoli, diaphragm, inspiration, expiration, and partial pressure 3. To explain the differences between tidal volume, inspiratory reserve volume, expiratory reserve volume, vital capacity, residual volume, total lung capacity, forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume, and minute respiratory volume 4. To list various factors that affect respiration 5. To explain how surfactant works in the lungs to promote respiration 6. To explain what happens in pneumothorax 7. To explain how hyperventilation, …show more content…

The air remaining in the lungs after a complete exhalation is called the residual volume, normally about 1200 milliliters. Therefore, the total lung capacity (the vital capacity volume plus the residual volume) is approximately 6000 milliliters. All of these volumes (except residual volume) can be easily measured using a spirometer. Basically, a spirometer is composed of an inverted bell in a water tank. A breathing tube is connected to the bell’s interior. On the exterior of the inverted bell is attached a pen device that records respiratory volumes on paper. When one exhales into the breathing tube, the bell goes up and down with exhalation. Everything is calibrated so that respiratory volumes can be read directly from the paper record. The paper moves at a pre-set speed past the recording pen so that volumes per unit time can be easily calculated. In addition to measuring the respiratory volumes introduced so far, the spirometer can also be used to perform pulmonary function tests. One such test is the forced vital capacity (FVC), or the amount of air that can be expelled completely and as rapidly as possible after taking in the deepest possible breath. Another test is the forced expiratory volume (FEV1), which is the percentage of vital capacity that is exhaled during a 1-sec period of the FVC test. This value is generally 75% to 85% of the vital capacity. In the following experiments you will be simulating spirometry and

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