Chapter 3: Anatomy & Physiology

Cards (94)

  • We breathe about 15 times every minute
  • Produce/Production - in speech, to create an utterance (sound, voice, phonation, syllable, word, sentence, or longer) that is spontaneous or imitated.
  • Phonation - the vibration of air passing between the two vocal folds that produces sound that is used for speech
  • Respiration - the movement of air into and out of the lungs that allows for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide
  • Inspiration (inhalation) - the process of drawing air into the lungs
  • expiration (exhalation) - the process of breathing air out of the lungs
  • thoracic cavity (thorax) - the upper part of the trunk that contains the organs of respiration (lungs) and circulation (heart)
  • Trachea - the tube that begins just below the larynx and continues down to where it divides into the lungs
  • cartilage - firm, fibrous, and strong connective tissue that does not contain blood vessels
  • the first demand of the respiratory system is to supply freshly oxygenated blood to every cell in our bodies and to rid our bodies of the carbon dioxide waste that is produced when we use up the oxygen
  • rib cage & sternum - provides protection and a framework for respiratory system
  • thorax extends from the clavicle and first rib down to the 12th rib
  • ribs attach to sternum in center of chest and the spinal column in back of thorax
  • quiet breathing - inspired air enters through the nostrils and flows into the nose and nasal cavities where it is warmed, moistened, and filtered. from nasal cavities, air passes through the larynx and flows past the open vocal folds.
  • trachea is a tube about 4 to 5 inches long and 1 inch in diameter
  • 26 pairs of muscles are involves in process of inspiration and expiration
  • diaphragm is the primary muscle involved with respiration.
  • the diaphragm is a large, dome-shaped muscle that separates the thoracic and abdominal cavities. during inspiration, it moves down to increase the volume (space) in the thoracic cavity, and during expiration it moves up to decrease the volume
  • volume changes in thoracic cavity affect the air pressures, which allows air to passively or actively flow into or out of the lungs
  • Internal and External Intercostal Muscles are in between each rib and help raise and lower the rib cage
  • during forced expiration, the muscles of the stomach are important to blow out the air
  • Process of respiration - respiratory center in brainstem sends messages to muscles we use for inhalation. diaphragm contracts and lowers, and ribcage slightly raises & expands. volume inside thoracic cavity increases, which decreases air pressure inside lungs. Difference in air pressure between environmental air & pressure in lungs causes air from outside to flow through nose, down trachea, and into lungs to equalize the pressure, causing inhalation.
  • Alveolar sacs - spongy tissue of lungs where gas exchange takes place. walls of alveoli are one cell thick and porous, allowing rapid transfer of fresh oxygen into the capillary bed surrounding the alveoli, and of carbon dioxide from the capillary bed into the alveoli to be exhaled
  • alveolar sacs that make up the lungs expand and stretch slightly (like a partially inflated balloon), but then relax (deflate), which forces air back out of the lungs and up the trachea.
  • larynx - structure that contains cartilages, muscles, and membranes that produce voice by air passing between the vocal folds that is located at the top of the trachea
  • the larynx is a part of the phonatory system
  • larynx is located between the top of the trachea and just below the hyoid bone that helps support it
  • the hyoid bone is horseshoe shaped
  • thyroid cartilage is the main structure of the larynx and encloses and protects vocal folds
  • adam's apple is the front of the thyroid cartilage
  • cricoid cartilage sits on top of first tracheal ring and on which the thyroid cartilage rests and pivots. it is circular shaped.
  • arytenoid cartilage - two pyramid shaped structure, sit on top of cricoid cartilage and rotates to open and close vocal folds and pivot back and forth to help change pitch of the voice
  • epiglottis - cartilage that is wide at top and narrow at bottom and protects airway during swallowing
  • true vocal folds - paired muscles covered with mucous membranes with pearly white appearance. closure during swallowing protects trachea and lungs
  • glottis - space between two vocal folds
  • during normal breathing - vocal folds are at rest and partially open, or abduct
  • to phonate, vocal folds must close, or adduct
  • to produce voice, the brain tells the vocal folds to close and simultaneously, the brain tells the respiratory system that it should exhale air. as air coming up trachea reaches closed vocal folds, air pressure builds up and blows vocal folds open, every time the vocal folds open, a small "puff" of air escapes before they rapidly close again. this vibrated air is sound which travels up to the mouth to be articulated.
  • Frequency - number of complete cycles per second that the vocal folds vibrate
  • pitch - psychological perception of frequency