Factors In Air-Breathing Vertebrates

Oxygen is drawn into the lungs by a process called inhalation, (breathing in), which occurs when the diaphragm and intercostal muscles are contracted which causes the lungs to expand, giving a larger volume and therefore causing a lower pressure differential between the lungs, alveolar pressure, and the outside atmosphere. This inverse relationship between volume and pressure is called Boyle’s law. (Tortora & Derrickson, 2011)

At higher altitudes respiration rate is increased which leads to increases in ventilation (possibly a five-fold increase from sea level). Chemoreceptors in the arterial blood vessels are stimulated to signal the brain to increase ventilation. The increase in ventilation is associated with increased breathing frequency and tidal volume.

The respiratory system is a complex organ structure of the human body anatomy, and the primary purpose of this system is to supply the blood with oxygen in order for the blood vessels to carry the precious gaseous element to all parts of the body to accomplish cell respiration. The respiratory system completes this important function of breathing throughout inspiration. In the breathing process inhaling oxygen is essential for cells to metabolize nutrients and carry out some other tasks, but it must occur simultaneously with exhaling when the carbon dioxide is excreted, this exchange of gases is the respiratory system's means of getting oxygen to the blood (McGowan, Jefferies & Turley, 2004).

For this assignment, I will use the websites, lab and learning materials from this week and complete an internet search of my own on breathing. I will write a two -page essay that explains the location of the respiratory areas that control breathing and explain control of normal breathing. I will also write the definition of each of the respiratory air volumes and capacities.

The respiratory system consists of the lungs and air passages. The system functions to bring in air and extract oxygen and remove carbon dioxide*. The body can hold 4 to 6 minutes worth of oxygen so the respiratory system must work at all times to prevent death. There are multiple parts to the respiratory system for example, the nose has nostrils or nares. It contains a nasal septum which divides the nose into hollow spaces called nasal cavities. The nose filters the air with the mucus produced. Also located in the nose are the olfactory receptors, and nasolacrimal ducts. The sinuses which are resonating chambers of cavities located in the skull. A larger part of the respiratory system is the pharynx also known as the throat. It is located directly behind the nasal area, divided into three parts; nasopharynx(upper portion), Oropharynx(middle portion), Laryngopharynx (lower portion). The larynx also known as the “voice box” located between the trachea and pharynx. Trachea also known as the windpipe extends from the larynx to the center of the chest; its functions to carry air between the pharynx and bronchi. The bronchi function to carry air to the lungs. The right bronchus is more vertical, shorter, and wider compared to the left.Bronchi continue to branch off into smaller bronchioles, the smallest is called terminal bronchioles which deliver air to the alveoli. 500 million alveoli, which have a rich network of capillaries needed for exchange of oxygen and CO2( taken place

Exercise 7: Respiratory System Mechanics: Activity 2: Comparative Spirometry Lab Report Pre-lab Quiz Results You scored 100% by answering 5 out of 5 questions correctly. 1. A normal resting tidal volume is expected to be around You correctly answered: d. 500 ml. 2. Which respiratory process is impaired the most by emphysema? You correctly answered: c. expiration 3. During an asthma attack You correctly answered: b. inspiration and expiration are impaired. 4. During moderate aerobic exercise, which respiratory variable increases the most? You correctly answered: a. tidal volume 5. Inhaler medications for an asthma patient are designed to You correctly answered: b. dilate the patient's bronchioles.

measure lung capacity, such as a spirometry to measure the volume of air a patient can blow out,

The same method was utilized to find expiratory reserve volume. Except, the I-beam cursor was dragged in-between the trough of a normal and maximum exhalation. As for tidal volume, it was discovered using the absolute value between the peak and the trough of a normal wave. The last data to be found using the BIOPAC was the subject’s vital capacity. Here, the I-beam cursor was dragged from the peak of the maximum inhalation to the trough of maximum exhalation.

Air then continues to flow through the system that includes the mouth, trachea, lungs, muscular diaphragm, bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli. Mammals breathe through negative pressure, which is pulling air into the lungs when the thoracic cavity expands causing the diaphragm to contract. Tidal volume is the amount of air that is inhaled and let out with each breath. When this volume is taken during a maximal inhalation and exhalation is the vital capacity (Reece et al., 2011).

When conducting the experiment two factors that could have affected my spirogram results are consciousness and visual perception. Our conscious can control our regular lung volumes and capacities by increasing or decreasing. This is because the mind is calculating the amount of inspiration and expiration. However, our breathing should be automatic and normal. Our visual perception when measuring the diameter of the balloon could also be inaccurate. This is because an inflated balloon is spherical shaped and does not directly lean against the ruler. Thus, our group had to go through many trials to get reasonable measurements.

Spirometry is the most popular lung function test. The patient performs a maximal inhalation and then forcefully exhales as quickly and as long as they are able. The spirometer measures the volume of the air exhaled by patients. These measurements are taken at two intervals. The first measurement is the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), records the volume of air exhaled after one second. The second measurement is taken at the point where the patient has fully exhaled the volume of inhaled air; this measurement is the forced vital capacity (FVC) (Harpreet Ranu et al.,

The human body comprises of two respiratory sponges called lungs. The left lung is slightly smaller than the right as it makes room for placement of the heart. Due to this slightly smaller size, it only contains two lobes whereas the right lung has 3 lobes. Both lungs are host to the network of air sacs or alveoli which transport the air from the outside environment to the external and internal respiration processes.

This volume is the maximum amount of air that a person can expel from the lungs after first filling lungs to maximum and then expel air to maximum extent approx. 4600 ml.

Lung capacity is the volume of the most air you can exhale after fully breathing in. Based on that I will experiment with two kind of subjects in order to measure their lung capacity and get conclusions about the

By comparing the carbon dioxide output of a cricket to that of a hamster, we observed that on a per gram basis, the cricket’s carbon dioxide output was significantly lower than the hamster’s. The difference in carbon dioxide output in the two species may have been caused by the absence of lungs in insects, which in contrast, is a key organ of a mammal’s respiratory system. In a mammal, the lungs function in the respiratory system by providing a large surface area for incoming oxygen to enter and the removal of carbon dioxide gas from the mammal’s body providing highly efficient respiration. In contrast to mammals, insects obtain required oxygen for respiration through a series of small openings called spiracles that are found in the insect’s