Tag: physiology
- Respiration and Acid Base Balance ()
Proper physiological functioning depends on a very tight balance between the concentrations of acids and bases in the blood. Acid-balance balance is measured using the pH scale, as shown below. A variety of buffering systems permits blood and other bodily fluids to maintain a narrow pH range, even in the face of perturbations. A buffer […]
- Chemical and Neurological Control of Involuntary Respiration ()
Involuntary respiration is any form of respiratory control that is not under direct, conscious control. Breathing is required to sustain life, so involuntary respiration allows it to happen when voluntary respiration is not possible, such as during sleep. Involuntary respiration also has metabolic functions that work even when a person is conscious. The Respiratory Centers […]
- The Dead Space Gets Filled Up Before Any Air Gets Into The Lungs ()
Dead space represents the volume of ventilated air that does not participate in gas exchange. The two types of dead space are anatomical dead space and physiologic dead space. Anatomical dead space is represented by the volume of air that fills the conducting zone of respiration made up by the nose, trachea, and bronchi. This […]
- Respiratory Volumes & Capacities ()
Spirometry is the most common type of pulmonary function or breathing test. Spirometry is used to determine a given patient’s lung volumes and capacities as the test measures how much air one can breathe in and out of their lungs. Ambulances do not carry such devices. Discussing lung capacities for EMS personnel is complete hypothetical. […]
- It Takes Negative Pressure To Inhale ()
Inspiration (or inhalation) and expiration (or exhalation) are dependent on the differences in pressure between the atmosphere and the lungs. In a gas, pressure is a force created by the movement of gas molecules that are confined. For example, a certain number of gas molecules in a two-liter container has more room than the same […]
- Mechanics of Breathing ()
The relationship between gas pressure and volume helps to explain the mechanics of breathing. Boyle’s Law is the gas law which states that in a closed space, pressure and volume are inversely related. As volume decreases, pressure increases and vice versa. When discussing the detailed mechanics of breathing, it is important to keep this inverse […]
- The Trachea and Bronchial Tree ()
The Trachea The larynx, commonly called the voice box or glottis, is the passageway for air between the pharynx above and the trachea below. It extends from the fourth to the sixth vertebral levels. The larynx is often divided into three sections: sublarynx, larynx, and supralarynx. It is formed by nine cartilages that are connected […]
- The Most Vulnerable and Most Protected Real Estate In The Body: The Pharynx ()
All the processes that involve moving air into the body are protected by the structures, reflexes, and unconscious situational awareness in the body. These actions are similar to the way Air Defense Artillery protects a sensitive area. A 360 degree radar is scanning the area, looking for targets. With the speed of approaching aircraft and […]
- Reproductive System – Female ()
The organs of the female reproductive system produce and sustain the female sex cells (egg cells or ova), transport these cells to a site where they may be fertilized by sperm, provide a favorable environment for the developing fetus, move the fetus to the outside at the end of the development period, and produce the […]
- Reproductive System – Male ()
The male reproductive system, like that of the female, consists of those organs whose function is to produce a new individual, i.e., to accomplish reproduction. This system consists of a pair of testes and a network of excretory ducts (epididymis, ductus deferens (vas deferens), and ejaculatory ducts), seminal vesicles, the prostate, the bulbourethral glands, and […]