Try these questions on the respiratory system.
Have a go at answering these exam style questions. Say the answers to yourself or write them down before you check the answer.
Then when you are ready, why not take the multiple choice challenge?
With the multiple choice challenge you can test your knowledge on this topic and every other topic in your GCSE PE exam.
It’s the ulitmate way to revise and prepare for tests and your internal and external exams!
- Air enters through the mouth or nose, passes through the pharynx, then the larynx, and enters the trachea.
- From the trachea, it moves into the bronchi, which further divide into bronchioles, leading to the alveoli in the lungs.
The trachea, commonly known as the windpipe, is located in the neck and extends down into the chest.
The bronchi are located in the chest, branching off from the trachea and leading into the lungs.
The bronchioles are located within the lungs, branching off from the bronchi and further dividing into smaller airways.
The alveoli are tiny air sacs located in the lungs, where gaseous exchange takes place.
Gaseous exchange refers to the process by which oxygen from the air is transferred into the bloodstream, while carbon dioxide, a waste product, is removed from the bloodstream and expelled from the body.
- Alveoli have thin, moist walls composed of a single layer of cells, allowing for rapid diffusion of gases.
- They are surrounded by a dense network of capillaries, maximising the contact between blood and air for efficient exchange.
- Oxygen is carried in the bloodstream by binding to hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells.
- This forms oxyhemoglobin, which is then transported by the blood to the body’s tissues.
The muscles involved in respiration include the diaphragm and the intercostal muscles.
- The diaphragm is a large, dome-shaped muscle located at the base of the ribcage, separating the thoracic and abdominal cavities.
- Intercostal muscles are found between the ribs, aiding in rib movement during breathing.
- During inhalation, the intercostal muscles contract, lifting the ribcage upward and outward.
- This expansion increases thoracic volume, allowing the lungs to expand and air to be drawn in.
- When we breathe in, the diaphragm contracts and moves downward.
- This action creates a vacuum that draws air into the lungs.
- When we breathe in, the rib cage expands as the intercostal muscles contract.
- This movement causes the ribs to move upward and outward, increasing the thoracic volume.
- During exhalation, the intercostal muscles relax, allowing the ribcage to return to its resting position.
- This decreases thoracic volume, helping to expel air from the lungs.
When we breathe out, the diaphragm relaxes and moves upward.
Test your kowledge on this topic and every other topic in your GCSE PE exam in the multiple choice challenge.
Just follow this link to take the challenge.
