Long Answers

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Last edited 25 days ago by Learn LoopHQ.

Chapter: 05. Human Respiratory System

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How is energy released in our body, and what is the overall process called, including its key steps?

Energy is released in our body through a process called respiration. This process begins with the intake of oxygen, which then reacts with food (glucose) inside cells. This chemical reaction, known as oxidation, breaks down the food. As a result, energy is released for various life processes, along with carbon dioxide as a waste product. Finally, the carbon dioxide is eliminated from the body.

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Explain why it is important to breathe through the nose rather than the mouth.

Breathing through the nose is crucial because nasal passages are equipped with specialized features to prepare the incoming air. Hair within the passages filters out dust, smoke particles, pollen, and microbes, preventing them from entering the lungs. Additionally, the air gets warmed up to body temperature and becomes moist as it passes through the nasal passages. This ensures that clean, filtered, warmed, and moistened air reaches the delicate lungs, protecting them from irritation and potential infections.

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Describe the structure and primary function of the lungs, specifically detailing the role of alveoli in gas exchange.

Lungs are a pair of spongy, highly elastic, and bag-like structures that serve as the main respiratory organs, enclosed within the airtight thoracic cavity. Their primary function is to facilitate the exchange of gases between the body and the external environment. This vital exchange occurs efficiently due to numerous tiny, thin-walled air sacs called alveoli, found at the end of bronchioles. Each lung contains about 750 million alveoli, providing an exceptionally large surface area covered by a fine network of blood capillaries. When fresh air fills the alveoli, oxygen diffuses into the blood capillaries, while carbon dioxide from the blood diffuses into the alveoli to be exhaled.

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Elaborate on the mechanism of breathing, explaining the coordinated roles of the ribs and diaphragm during both inhalation and exhalation.

Breathing is a mechanical process involving inhalation and exhalation, driven by the coordinated action of the rib muscles and the diaphragm. During inhalation, the rib muscles contract, pulling the ribs upwards and outwards, while the diaphragm also contracts and flattens downwards. These actions collectively increase the volume of the thoracic cavity and the lungs, which in turn decreases the air pressure inside, causing fresh air to rush in. Conversely, during exhalation, the rib muscles and diaphragm relax, allowing the ribs to move downwards and inwards, and the diaphragm to move upwards to its dome shape. This reduces the volume of the thoracic cavity and lungs, increasing the internal air pressure and pushing the carbon dioxide-rich air out of the body.

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Distinguish between external, internal, and cellular respiration, highlighting where each process occurs within the human body.

External respiration is the process of gas exchange that occurs in the lungs, specifically between the air in the alveoli and the blood flowing through surrounding capillaries. Here, oxygen from inhaled air moves into the blood, and carbon dioxide from the blood moves into the alveoli to be exhaled. Internal respiration, on the other hand, involves the exchange of gases between the blood and the body cells throughout the rest of the body; oxygen is released from the blood into the cells, and carbon dioxide from the cells enters the blood. Finally, cellular respiration is the biochemical process that takes place inside the body cells, where glucose is broken down with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and, crucially, energy for cellular functions.

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Describe Asthma as a respiratory disease, including its typical symptoms and some common triggers.

Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by inflammation of the airways, leading to their swelling and narrowing, often accompanied by excess mucus production. This inflammation causes noticeable symptoms such as shortness of breath and difficulty breathing, frequently accompanied by a whistling or wheezing sound during exhalation. Patients may also experience chest tightness or pain, leading to disturbed sleep. Common triggers for asthma attacks include exposure to cold air, air pollutants, irritants, allergens like pollen, dust mites, mold spores, and pet hair, or it can even be induced by exercise.

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