CHAPTER 1

RESPIRATION

The Structure Of The

Human Respiratory
System

The Human Respiratory System

1.

The human respiratory system consists of:

a) Respiratory organs
b) Ribs
c) Diaphragm
d) Intercostal muscles
2. The respiratory organs include the nasal
cavity, trachea, bronchus, bronchioles
alveoli and lungs.
3. The alveoli, bronchioles and part of the
bronchus are situated in the lungs

Flow Of Air From The

Atmosphere To The Lungs

Nostrils

Nasal
Cavity

Trachea

Bronchus

Bronchiole

Alveolus

The Breathing
Mechanism

What do the parts of the

model represent?
i) Y-shaped tube : trachea & bronchi
ii) Bell jar
: thoracic cavity
iii) Rubber sheet : diaphragm
iv) Balloons
: Lungs

Transport Of Oxygen In
The Human Body

Diffusion: the movement of gas molecules

from higher concentration to
lower concentration

Gaseous Exchange Process

Carbon
dioxide gas
diffuses from
the blood
capillaries into
the alveolus to
be expelled.
Oxygen gas
diffuses into blood
capillaries and is
carried to all cells in
the body.

1. During inhalation, fresh air is taken into the alveoli

There is more oxygen in this fresh air than in the
blood capillaries
As a result, oxygen from the alveoli diffuses into the
blood capillaries surrounding the alveoli

The oxygen combines with the haemoglobin

in the red blood cells, producing
oxyhaemoglobin
Haemoglobin+ oxygen

oxyhaemoglobin

Blood containing oxyhaemoglobin is called

oxygenated blood, which is bright red
in colour

2. Simultaneously, during inhalation the

higher concentration of carbon dioxide
in the blood capillaries causes carbon
dioxide to diffuse from the blood
capillaries into the alveoli
.
This carbon dioxide is expelled from
the alveoli during inhalation

The alveoli are efficient in gaseous exchange

(diffusion of gas) because of the following
reasons:
a. The alveoli have very thin (one-cell thick) walls.
b. The alveoli are moist (enables gas to dissolve).
a. The alveoli are present in large numbers in the
lungs to increase the surface area.
c. The alveoli are richly supplied with blood
capillaries
d. There is always a difference in the
concentrationof gases (oxygen &
carbon dioxide) between the alveoli and the
blood capillaries.
.

3.The heart pumps the oxygenated

blood out to the body cells which require
oxygen
By the time the oxygenated blood reaches the
target body cells, the blood is carried in onecelled thick blood capillaries
There is less oxygen in the body cells than
in the blood of the blood capillaries
There is more carbon dioxide in the body
cells than in the blood of the blood capillaries

As a result, oxygen from the Oxyhaemoglobin

diffuses out of the blood capillaries into the
body cell
.

The oxyhaemoglobin becomes haemoglobin

again in the blood
Oxyhaemoglobin

oxygen+ haemoglobin

4.At the same time, carbon dioxide in the

body cells diffuses in to the blood capillaries
a)The body cells receive oxygen and release
carbon dioxide
b)The blood capillaries release oxygen and
receive carbon dioxide
c)The blood capillaries now carry deoxygenated
blood which is dark/dull red in colour

5.The deoxygenated blood is finally carried back

to the heart and then to the blood capillaries
surrounding the alveoli in the lungs

8.The deoxygenated blood releases carbon

dioxide to the alveoli and absorbs
oxygen forming oxygenated blood again

Cell Respiration

1.The process in which food is oxidised

in the cells to get energy is called
cell respiration / tissue respiration /
internal respiration
2.Cell respiration takes place in all
living cells,ie in both plants cells and
animal cells
3.Cell respiration can be represented as
Glucose+oxygen

energy+carbon dioxide+water

The Importance Of A
Healthy Respiratory
System

Substances that endanger the respiratory system include:

1. Cigarette smoke nicotine, tobacco tar and
carcinogen
2. Acidic gas from factories sulphur dioxide and
nitrogen dioxide
3. Vehicle exhaust carbon monoxide
4. Forest fires and open burning - haze
5.Burning of plastic material poisonous gases like
hydrogen chloride, ammonia and hydrogen cyanide

Diseases of respiratory system

1.Asthma
2.Smokers cough
3. Bronchitis
4. Lung cancer
5.Emphysema
6.Heart disease
7.Infant death

Results and Discussion

Material/
Apparatus

At the
At the end
beginning of the of the
experiment
experiment

Discussion

Cotton wool

White

Brown

Tar deposited
on the cotton
wool

Universal
indicator

Green

Orange/
yellow

Cigarette
smoke is
acidic

Thermometer

30oC

33oC

Cigarette
smoke
contains heat

Conclusion:Cigarette smoke can damage the lungs because it

contains tar, produces acidic substances and heat.

Ways To Improve Air Quality

1. Prohibiting smoking in public places
such as hospitals, restaurants and
bus stops.
2. Prohibiting open burning of rubbish
3. Installing a catalytic converter in the
exhaust system of vehicles to reduce the
emission of poisonous gases such as
carbon monoxide.

4. Fitting electrostatic precipitators to

the chimneys of factories to get rid of
pollutants from the smoke before it is
released into the atmoshere.
5. Quitting the smoking habit to prevent
the release of cigarette smoke to the
surroundings.