Chapter 1: Respiration

Rib cage

Human Respiratory System

Consist of
o Respiratory organ (nasal cavity, trachea,
bronchi, lung & breathing channel)
o Rib cage
o Diaphragm
o Intercostal muscles
Our body has 2 lungs (right &left)
Each lung consist of the bronchus, bronchioles
and alveoli.

Lung
Intercostal
muscles

Nose

Trachea

Bronchus

Bronchiol
e

Alveolus

Diaphragm

Breathing Mechanism
When inhaling
o The external intercostals muscle contracts.
This causes the ribs to move upwards and
outwards. At the same time, the internal
intercostals muscle relaxes.
o The diaphragm muscle contracts and
causes the diaphragm to move downwards
and flatten.
o The volume of the thoracic cavity increases
and with this, air pressure in it becomes
lower than the atmospheric air pressure (air
pressure outside the lungs.
o This situation causes air from the outside to
be sucked into the lung.

Structure
Nasal cavity
Trachea

Bronchus
Bronchiole
Alveolus

Function
Air entering from the nostrils is led to the
nasal cavity
An airway through which respiratory air
travels. The rings of cartilage within its
walls keep the trachea open
Passge divided from trachea
A norrow tube inside the lings that branches
off the main air passage bronchi
Place where exchange of gases take place

To protect the lungs and help in the

breathing mechanism
A respiratory organ
Antagonistic muscles that help the
movement of rib cage for breathing
mechanism
A muscular membrane that separates the
thoracic cavity and the abdominal cavity.

When exhaling
o The internal intercostals muscle contracts.
This causes the ribs to move downwards
and inwards. At the same time, the external
intercostals muscle relaxes. (the ribs to its
original position)
o The diaphragm muscle relaxes and causes
the diaphragm to curve upwards. (become
dome-shape)

o The volume of the thoracic cavity

decreases and with this, air pressure in it
becomes higher than the atmospheric air
pressure (air pressure outside the lungs)
o This situation causes air in the lungs to be
forced out.

During the exchange of gases, oxygen will be

transported from the alveoli to the body cells, while
carbon dioxide will be transported from the body
cells to be expelled through the lung.

Transport of oxygen by blood

Blood is a type of tissue fluid that flows in the
COMPARISON BETWEEN INHALATION &EXHALITION
blood capillaries.
Inhalation
SIMILARITIES
Haeomoglobin is red pigment found in red blood
Involves the diaphragm and intercostal muscles
cells (erythrocytes).
DIFFERENCES
Haemoglobin in the red blood cell combine with
Contracts (flattens)
Action of diaphragm
oxygen and it becomes oxyhaemoglobin.
Contracts
Action of external intercostal Blood acts as an efficient medium of transport of
muscles
oxygen due to assistance from haemoglobin.
Relax
Action of internal intercostal
Haeomoglobin is an important carrier of oxygen
muscles
because it binds oxygen easily compared with
Increases
Volume of thoracic cavity
water and blood plasma.
Decreases
Air pressure in thoracic cavity
haemoglobin + oxygen
oxyhaemoglobin
Rise upwards and outwards
Movement of ribs
This oxyhaemoglobin will be carried with the blood
Air is drawn into the thoracic
Flow of air
to parts of the body that lack oxygen.
cavity
Diffussion of oxygen from blood capillaries to body
To suck oxygen
Function
cells:
o upon reaching body cells which lack
Model (Y shape ballon, rubber sheet) shows the
oxygen, oxyhaemoglobin breaks down to
relationship between air pressure in thoracic cavithy and
release oxygen and haemoglobin.
the breathing mechanism.
o
the released oxygen will be absorbed by
Transport of oxygen in the body
body cells, while haemoglobin will return to
During inhalation, the concentration of oxygen in
the lungs to bind new oxygen.
inhaled air is higher compared with the oxygen
At the same time, carbon dioxide from the cells
content in blood capillaries.
also diffuse into the blood capillaries to be carried
Oxygenated blood is drawn into the lungs through
by haemoglobin to the alveoli.
the nasal cavity, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles and
Then carbon dioxide will be expelled out of the
finally the alveoli.
lungs during exhalation.
Alveoli (singular = alveolus) are tiny air sacs where
The efficiency of alveoli in gaseous exchange is
the exchange of gases takes place.
increased depend on:

Large of surface area (more alveoli)

Thin wall (one cell thick)
Moist surface (enable gas to dissolve)
Surrounded by a network of blood
capillaries.
Respiration is the oxidation of food in the bodys
cell to release energy, carbon dioxide and water.
o
o
o
o

Glucose + oxygen
energy

carbon dioxide + water +

substances that can harm living cells, while

carcinogenic is the quality can lead to the
production of cancerous cells.
Nicotine and tar are found in cigarette smoke
(cause blacken the lung).
Toxic substances are known as toxins, while
carcinogenic
substances
are
known
as
carcinogens (substances that cause cancer).
Diseases of the respiratory system include:
o Emphysema of the lung
o Bronchitis
o Lung cancer
o Asthma
Laboratory Activity

Aim

: To study the effect of smoking on the

human respiratory system

The importance of a healthy respiratory system
The respiratory system will be affected if exposed
to particular and excessive pollutants.
Pollutants are divided into two types, that is
gaseous pollutant and tiny particles.
Gaseous pollutant includes:
o carbon monoxide vehicle exhaust
o nitrogen oxide - acidic gas from factories
o hydrocarbon
o sulphur dioxide acidic gas from factories,
burning and fossil fuel.
o Lead
Tiny particles includes:
o dust particles
o impurities floating in the atmosphere
Most pollutant are toxic and carcinogenic
(cigarette smoke). Toxicity is the quality in

Materials

: Cigarette, white cotton wool, hydrogen

carbonate indicator
Apparatus

: U tube, filter pump, test tube, rubber

stopper, retort stand with clamp,

tube, rubber tube, thermometer
Step

glass

Analysis
1. The thermometer showed a change in
temperature because cigarette smoke is hot
2. The white cotton wool become darkish yellow
because of the presence of tabacco tar
3. The hydrogen carbonate indicator which changed

Observation :
Materials

Observation

from red to tyellow shows that cigarette smoke is

Thermometer

The temperature rise

White cotton wool

Became darkish yellow

Hydrogen carbonate

Change from red to yellow

acidic
Conclusion :
Smoking raises the lung temperature, blacken the

indicator

lungs and corrodes the lung cell.

See text book to clear images of diseases.