Anatomy and Physiology – Learning Aim C: The Respiratory System

Student Name.............................................

Checklist:
C1 Structure of the respiratory system
 Structure of the respiratory system (nasal cavity, epiglottis, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchus, bronchioles,
lungs, alveoli, diaphragm, thoracic cavity).
 Intercostal muscles (external and internal).

C2 Function
Understand the function of the respiratory system in response to exercise and sports performance.
 Mechanisms of breathing (inspiration and expiration) at rest and during exercise.
 Gaseous exchange.

C3 Lung volumes
Understand the lung volumes and the changes that occur in response to exercise and sports performance.
 Tidal volume.
 Vital capacity.
 Residual volume.
 Total lung volume.
 Pulmonary ventilation (VE).

C4 Control of breathing
Understand how breathing rate is controlled in response to exercise and sports performance.
 Neural (medulla oblongata as the respiratory centre in the brain).
 Chemical (chemoreceptors detect change in blood carbon dioxide concentrations and changes in pH).

C5 Responses of the respiratory system to a single sport or exercise session

 Increase in breathing rate.
 Increased tidal volume.

C6 Adaptations of the respiratory system to exercise

The impact of adaptation of the system on exercise and sports performance.
 Increased vital capacity.
 Increased strength of the respiratory muscles.
 Increase in oxygen and carbon dioxide diffusion rate.

C7 Additional factors affecting the respiratory system

Understand additional factors affecting the respiratory system and their impact on exercise and sports performance.
 Asthma.
 Effects of altitude/partial pressure on the respiratory system.

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Key Pad Conundrums – ‘What’s that Respiratory Structure?’

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2. ……………………………………. 6. …………………………………….

3. ……………………………………. 7. …………………………………….

4. ……………………………………. 8. …………………………………….

C1 Structure of the Respiratory System

What is the Respiratory system?

Human _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ system is a set of _ _ _ _ _ _ responsible for taking in _ _ _ _ _ _ and removing _ _ _

_ _ _ dioxide, through _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . Average _ _ _ _ of breathing for adults is 12 to 20 breaths per _ _ _ _ _

_ . During _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ exercise the respiratory rate can _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 45 breaths _ _ _ minute.

Key Words:
Carbon Respiratory Minute Oxygen Per
Breathing Average Organs Strenuous Rate

The Structures of the Respiratory System

The diagram below shows the main structures of the respiratory system. Identify the correct location of each of the
structures in the box below.

Nose & Mouth

Nose & Mouth

List the Passage of Air from the Nose to the Alveoli & Match the Correct Structures to their Definitions
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Larynx

Alveoli

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 C2 Function of the Respiratory System

Your task is to describe what Gaseous Exchange is and how it is achieved.

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Diaphragm
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Intercostal muscles (external and internal)

Internal = ______________________________________________________________
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External = _____________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

You need to describe how each action is achieved in the spaces below.

Known As: ____________________________

This occurs when the air pressure inside the lungs

increases/decreases, so more air flows in/out

Decreasing/increasing size of the thoracic cavity

Inspiration (chest), increases/decreases the lung pressure

Known As: ____________________________

This occurs when the air pressure inside the lungs

increases/decreases, so more air flows in/out
C3 Lung Volumes
Expiration Decreasing/increasing size of the thoracic cavity
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(chest), increases/decreases the lung pressure
 The air in a person’s lungs can be measured in different ways depending on how and what stage a person is
breathing at and what measurement is required. Three of these measures are listed below.

Tidal Volume (TV): Vital Capacity (VC):

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Residual Volume (RV): Total Lung Volume (TLV):

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C4 Control of Breathing
The way in which a person breathes is regulated in two main ways – chemical and neural control.

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 C5 Responses of the respiratory system to a single sport or exercise session
• Increase in breathing rate: ....................................................................................................................
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• Increased tidal volume: ........................................................................................................................

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C6 Adaptations of the respiratory system to exercise

• Increased vital capacity: .......................................................................................................................

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• Increased strength of the respiratory muscles: ....................................................................................

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• Increase in oxygen and carbon dioxide diffusion rate: .........................................................................

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C7 Additional factors affecting the respiratory system

• Asthma: .................................................................................................................................................
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• Effects of altitude/partial pressure on the respiratory system: ...........................................................

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Across
1. The space inside the ribs is called the _ _ _ _ _ cavity (also
known as thoracic)
3. The 'waste' gas which is exhaled from the body. _ _ _ _ _ _
dioxide

4. A respiratory muscle which increases and decreases the volume

in the chest cavity

9. It is around 21% of inspired air. This is the gas which is 'useful'

in the body

11. The main organ in the respiratory system. They are two large
organs which allow us to breathe

Down
2. Made of rings of cartilage, it is commonly known as the
windpipe
4. What 'D' is the name given to the process where gases move
from a high to low concentration
5. There are around 600 million of these within the lungs. It is
where gaseous exchange takes place
6. What 'R' is the volume of air left in the lungs after max
exhalation. It stops the lungs collapsing
7. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ exchange is the process where oxygen is replaced
by carbon dioxide in the capillaries

8. What 'T' is the respiratory volume of normal breaths. It is

around 500cm3/500ml
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10. A organ which allows air to enter and leave the body