Learning Objectives – Section 4
The Respiratory System
1. Define the following terms: ventilation, atmospheric pressure, intra-alveolar or pulmonary pressure,
intrapleural pressure, elasticity, compliance, surface tension, eupnea, dyspnea, apnea, hyperpnea,
hypoventilation, hyperventilation, buffer, metabolic acidosis and alkalosis, respiratory acidosis and
alkalosis, chemoreceptor, hypocapnia, hypercapnia, hypoxia, cyanosis, tidal volume, inspiratory reserve
volume, expiratory reserve volume, residual volume, inspiratory capacity, functional residual capacity, vital
capacity, total lung capacity, dead space.
2. Review the respiratory system anatomy if you do not remember it well.
3. Know the muscles of passive and forced inspiration and expiration.
4. Explain how the anatomy of the bronchioles and alveoli is suited to their functions.
5. State Boyle’s Law and explain how it relates to the mechanics of ventilation.
6. Discuss the pressure changes that drive the movement of air into and out of the lungs.
7. Describe the relationship between airflow, airway resistance, and pressure.
8. Name and describe the factor(s) that affect airway resistance.
9. Describe the respiratory cycle.
10. Describe the four lung volumes and four lung capacities. Understand how they and the forced expiratory
volume can be used diagnostically.
11. Understand the cause of newborn respiratory distress syndrome.
12. Distinguish between obstructive and restrictive lung diseases.
13. Describe the characteristics of COPD, asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema.
14. Be able to calculate pulmonary minute ventilation, alveolar minute ventilation, and describe the difference
between the two.
15. State Dalton’s law and Henry’s Law, and understand how they relate to gas transport in the human body.
16. Describe the factors that affect gas exchange at the level of the pulmonary and systemic capillaries.
17. Describe how oxygen transport is accomplished within the circulatory system.
18. Explain what factors that influence hemoglobin saturation and be able to describe the O2-Hb curve.
19. State the "Bohr Effect".
20. Describe the three ways in which carbon dioxide is transported in the blood.
21. Write the chemical equations for the interconversion of: carbon dioxide and water to carbonic acid,
carbonic acid to bicarbonate and hydrogen ions and identify the enzyme involved in this conversion.
22. Explain the importance of the equations in #21.
23. Explain how hemoglobin is able to act as a buffer.
24. Describe what happens inside a red blood cell during the transport of carbon dioxide and oxygen.
25. Explain the "chloride shift".
26. Explain how changes in carbon dioxide concentration can lead to changes in blood pH.
27. Explain how hypoventilation and hyperventilation lead to changes in carbon dioxide concentration and
therefore changes in blood pH, and be able to relate this to respiratory acidosis and alkalosis.
28. Explain how metabolic acidosis and alkalosis can affect respiration.
29. Differentiate between central and peripheral chemoreceptors.
30. You should be able to discuss the negative feedback control of ventilation through changes in blood carbon
dioxide and pH.
31. Describe the pulmonary stretch receptors, the Hering-Breur reflex and its significance.
32. Know the nonrespiratory functions of the respiratory system.