Respiratory system

• What is tidal volume?

  The volume of air breathed in or out per breathe
• What is minute ventilation?

  The volume of air breathed in or out per minute
• What is the inspiratory reserve volume (IRV)?

  The volume of air that can be forcefully inspired after a normal breathe
• What is the expiratory reserve volume (ERV)?

  The volume of air that can be forcefully expired in a normal breathe
• What is residual volume?

  The volume of air that remains in the lungs after maximal expiration
• What changes happen to these during exercise?

  Tidal volume : Increases

  Minute ventilation : Increases (a lot)

  ERV : decrease (slightly)

  IRV : none
• What is gaseous exchange concerned with?

  • Getting oxygen from the air into the lungs so it can be diffused into the blood
  • The removal of Carbon dioxide from the blood
• What is partial pressure?

  The pressure exerted by an individual gas when it exists within a mixture of gases
• How does an alveoli's structure help with diffusion?

  • Thin walls
  • Extensive capillary network
  • High surface area
  • Concentration gradient due to difference in partial pressure
• What is respiration?

  The rate and depth of breathing
• What controls respiration and how does it get us to breathe?

  Controlled by the respiratory centre

  Inspiratory centre -> Phrenic nerve -> Diaphragm and external intercoastal -> inspiration -> expiration (after 2 seconds)
• How do chemical changes change our breathing rate?

  When exercising, Carbon dioxide levels increase stimulating chemoreceptors which then stimulate the respiratory centre which then gets the phrenic nerve to send an impulse to the inspiratory muscles increasing the depth of our breathing

  This is supported by the accessory muscles :

  • Sternocleidomastoid
  • Scalines
  • Pectoralis minor
• How do neural influences change our breathing rate

  Influences such as :

  • increased brain activity
  • Stimulation of proprioceptors
  • Baroreceptors detecting a decrease in blood pressure
  • Increased body temperature

  All of these result with an increased breathing rate
• What structural changes to respiratory system occur as a result of exercise?

  • Increased size of alveoli making surface area bigger = more efficient breathing
  • Increased elasticity of pathways
• What mechanical changes to respiratory system occur as a result of exercise?

  • Increased strength of diaphragm and intercostals
  • Decreased breathing frequency
  • Increased maximal minute ventilation
• What are the some of the effects smoking can have on the respiratory system?

  1. Cilia in trachea and bronchi die = mucus build up
  2. Swelling and narrowing of the lungs airways -> breathlessness
  3. Carbon monoxide production (It has a higher affinity for oxygen than haemoglobin therefore $\downarrow$gas exchange
  4. Causes CHD which then causes atherosclerosis and high blood pressure

  These negative adaptations affect performance :

  Quicker to anaerobic respiration = less power at end of performance
• What do the negative adaptations of smoking do to performance?

  They make the body result to anaerobic respiration which means that the performer has less power at the end of the performance due to decreased aerobic respiration