Respiratory

System
Mechanics
De Vera. Elio. Fuentes. Fernandez
Group 3, 4Bio6
 Introduction

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
Distribution of oxygen
Removal of carbon dioxide
Works with the circulatory
system
Introduction
Respiration
Ventilation
Transport of
oxygen and
carbon dioxide
Gas exchange
between blood
and alveoli
 Introduction

Ventilation
Diaphragm
External intercostal muscles
Inspiration active process
Expiration passive process
Introduction
 Introduction

Pulmonary minute ventilation

= frequency of breathing x tidal
volume
Normal partial pressures
Oxygen and carbon dioxide
diffuse down their partial
pressure gradients
ACTIVITY 1:
MEASURING RESPIRATORY
VOLUMES AND CALCULATING
CAPACITIES
 Measuring Respiratory Volumes
and Calculating Capacities

Two phases of ventilation

Inspiration
Expiration
 Measuring Respiratory Volumes
and Calculating Capacities

Inspiration
air is taken into lungs
external intercostal muscles and the
diaphragm contract
an increase in thoracic volume
 Measuring Respiratory Volumes
and Calculating Capacities

Expiration
air moves out of the lungs
inspiratory muscles relax
normally a passive process
abdominal-wall muscles and the
internal intercostal muscles can also
contract
 Measuring Respiratory Volumes
and Calculating Capacities

Respiratory volumes
a) Tidal volume (TV)
b) Inspiratory reserve volume (IRV)
c) Expiratory reserve volume (ERV)
d) Residual volume (RV)
 Measuring Respiratory Volumes
and Calculating Capacities

Respiratory capacities
a) Total lung capacity (TLC)

b) Vital capacity (VC)

 Measuring Respiratory Volumes
and Calculating Capacities

Pulmonary function tests

a) Forced vital capacity (FVC)
b) Forced expiratory volume (FEV1)
Simulated lungs breath a tidal volume as a result of
the contraction and relazation of the diaphragm
 ERV - stimulates forced expiration
FVC - lungs will first inspire maximally and then expire fully
Stop & Think
Question

Which muscles contract during quiet expiration?

Ans: None of these muscles contract during quiet expiration
Minute ventilation

= TV (ml/breath) x BPM
(breath/min)

= 500 ml/breath x 15
(breath/min)

= 7500 ml/min
 Predict Question

In obstructive diseases, airway radius is decreased. Thus, FEV1 will

Ans: Decrease proportionally
 FEV1 (%)
= FEV1 volume
X 100
FVC volume

= 3541
X 100 = 73.91%
4791
 FEV1 (%)

= 436
X 100
621

= 70.21%
ACTIVITY 2:
COMPARATIVE SPIROMETRY
 Activity 2:
Comparative Spirometry

This experiment aims to explore the

various changes made to normal
respiratory volumes and capacities.
A spirometer is a device that
measures the volume inspired and
expired by the lungs over a period of
time.
 Activity 2:
Comparative Spirometry
 Activity 2:
Comparative Spirometry

Emphysema Breathing
Significant loss of recoil in the lung
tissue.
Alveoli of lungs gets destroyed
Lung becomes overly compliant and
expands easily
Harder to exhale due to lungs loss of
passive control of recoiling and
deflating
 Activity 2:
Comparative Spirometry

Acute Asthma Attack Breathing

Bronchioles smooth muscle spasms and
airways become constricted; mucus
also fills the bronchioles leading to a
significant increase in airway resistance
Elastic recoil is not diminished
Volume and peak flow rates are
significantly reduced
 Activity 2:
Comparative Spirometry

Acute Asthma Attack Breathing (w/

Inhaler)
Allows direct application to airways
Includes a smooth muscle relaxant that
relieves bronchospasms and induces
bronchiole dilation
Reduces airway resistance
 Activity 2:
Comparative Spirometry

Breathing During Exercise

Moderate Exercise
Increased metabolic demand
Rate of breathing and tidal volume
increase
Heavy Exercise
Further changes in respiration are required
to meet extreme metabolic demands
Breathing rate and tidal volume increase to
maximum tolerable limits
Normal Results
 Results
Emphysema Breathing
 Results
Acute Asthma Breathing
 Results
Acute Asthma Breathing (with Inhaler)
 Results
Moderate Exercise
 Results
Heavy Exercise
ACTIVITY 3:
EFFECT OF SURFACTANT AND
INTRAPLEURAL PRESSURE ON
RESPIRATION
Activity 3: Effect of Surfactant
Set up
and Intrapleural Pressure on
Respiration
Set up

Mediastinum
Thoracic wall
Lungs

Diaphragm
 Two Important Factors in Respiration

1.Surfactant
2.Intrapleural pressure
 Surfactant
mixture of lipoproteins
produced by the secretory cells
of epithelium lining the alveoli
 Baseline
Radius Breath Surfactant Pressure Pressure Flow Flow Total
Rate left right left right Flow
5 15 0 -4 -4 49.69 49.69 99.38
 Addition of surfactant increases air flow
Radius Breath Surfactant Pressure Pressure Flow Flow Total
Rate left right left right Flow
5 15 2 -4 -4 69.56 69.56 139.13
 Results
Further addition of surfactant further increases air flow
Radius Breath Surfactant Pressure Pressure Flow Flow Total
Rate left right left right Flow
5 15 4 -4 -4 89.44 89.44 178.88
 Effect of Surfactant

decreases alveolar surface tension

which tension results to (1) lesser
amount of work needed to inflate
the lungs and (2) reduction of the
tendency of the lungs to collapse
increases total airflow
Pleural Pressure
760 mm Hg
Atmospheric pressure

760 mm Hg
Alveolar pressure
756 mm Hg
Pleural pressure
 Pleural Pressure

pressure within the pleural

sac
pressure exerted outside
the lungs within the
thoracic cavity
subatmospheric
 Pneumothorax

a condition wherein air is

introduced in the pleural
cavity
allows the atmospheric
pressure and the pleural
pressure to equalize
the lungs can no longer
expand resulting atelectasis
or lung collapse
 Opening the valve in the side of the glass bell jar simulated
pneumothorax
Radius Breath Surfactant Pressure Pressure Flow Flow Total
Rate left right left right Flow
5 15 0 0 -4 0 49.69 49.69
 Closing the valve wont reinflate the lung
Radius Breath Surfactant Pressure Pressure Flow Flow Total
Rate left right left right Flow
5 15 0 0 -4 0 49.69 49.69
 Effect of Pleural Pressure

allows lungs to expand due to

its subatmospheric nature
 Results
Radius Breath Surfactant Pressure Pressure Flow Flow Total
Rate left right left right Flow
5 15 0 -4 -4 49.69 49.69 99.38

5 15 2 -4 -4 69.56 69.56 139.13

5 15 4 -4 -4 89.44 89.44 178.88

5 15 0 -4 -4 49.69 49.69 99.38

5 15 0 0 -4 0 49.69 49.69

5 15 0 0 -4 0 49.69 49.69

5 15 0 -4 -4 49.69 49.69 99.38

 Conclusion

Skeletal muscles play indispensible

roles in the process of ventilation.
Most especially in inspiration, and
may also be stimulated in expiration
at times when it is not a passive
process.
 Conclusion
Emphysema and acute asthma breathing
showed significant decreases in their FEV(%)
than normal, this is because that despite
having a blockage in the spirometer set-up, the
subjects also have conditions in which their
lungs are either damaged, or blocked, or
constricted.
With the use of an inhaler, an individual can
seek temporary relief, returning their FEV(%) to
normal.
Exercise increases the tidal volume of air in an
individual to adapt to its changing metabolic
rate, but at the same time, decreases their IRV
and ERV due to shortness of breath.
 Conclusion

Surfactant affects respiration by

increasing airflow while pleural
pressure affects respiration by
allowing the lungs to expand.
THANK YOU!
 Pre-lab Questions
1. Which of the following statements describing
the mechanics of breathing is false?
Ans: Ventilation relies exclusively on
contracting skeletal muscles

2. The contraction of which of the following

muscles will increase the thoracic cavity volume
during inspiration?
Ans: The external intercostals
 Pre-lab Questions
3. At the beginning of inspiration, the
Ans: Thoracic cavity volume increases
4. At the befinning of expiration, the
Ans: Pressure in the thoracic cavity increases
5. A tidal volume refers to the
Ans: Amount of air inspired and then expired
with each breath under resting conditions
 Post-lab Questions
1. To calculate a person's vital capacity, you need to know TV,
ERV, and
Ans: IRV
2. Measuring a person's FVC means that you are measuring
Ans: The amount of air that can be expelled when the
subject takes the deepest possible inspiration and then
forcefully expires as completely and rapidly as possible
3. Measuring a person's FEV1 means that you are measuring
Ans: The amoung of the VC that is expired during the
first second of the FVC test
 Post-lab Questions
4. For a person suffering an asthma attack,
inhaler medications are expected to
Ans: Reduce the airway resistance

5. Which of the following values does not include

the ERV?
Ans: TV