The Respiratory System Lab

As with all other labs, use your textbook for help to answer the questions!!

Materials:

• Round balloons (you will only use 3, but best to have a few back-ups should any of them have a
hole or burst).
• Ruler/meter stick/tape measure
• A plastic bottle (larger than your balloon)
• Drinking straw
• Rubber band
• Scissors
• Playdough
• Camera: take a picture of all your materials together!

INTRODUCTION

Human lungs are large organs that are honeycombed with passages. Their huge surface area provides
the space needed for gas exchange to take place. The lungs lie inside the thoracic cavity and are
ventilated as a result of the movements of the diaphragm and the rib cage, which make up the walls of
the thoracic cavity.

The upper respiratory tract consists of the tubes that connect the nostrils and mouth to the lungs. The
main tube passing to your lungs is the trachea (windpipe). The upper respiratory tract acts as an
efficient air-conditioning system, warming and filtering inhaled air. The membrane which lines the
upper respiratory tract is well supplied with blood, which warms the air to body temperature. Hairs in
the nasal passage filter out large particles of dust. A sheet of mucus lines the upper respiratory tract
and traps bacteria, viruses and dust particles. The mucus is produced by cells in the membrane lining
called goblet cells. Cilia, rows of fine hair-like structures, sway to and fro and sweep the mucus, and
with it trapped bacteria, viruses and dust, into the pharynx. Here it is either swallowed, sneezed out or
coughed up. The air which then passes to the lungs is cleaned and freed from the majority of germs.

There are mechanisms to prevent food from entering the upper respiratory tract. The act of swallowing
closes the glottis and lifts up the whole larynx so that it is blocked by the base of the tongue. At the
same time, the flap-like epiglottis moves backward and protects the opening of the glottis. If food does
lodge in the larynx, it triggers off violent coughing, which usually clears the obstruction.

The trachea branches at its lower end to form the left and right bronchi (Singular: bronchus). In the lung
each bronchus branches many times into small tubes called bronchioles. These form a network called
the bronchial tree. The bronchioles divide and sub-divide into even smaller tubes which end in clusters
of small sacks called alveoli (singular: alveolus). The walls of the alveoli are very thin and surrounded by
capillary blood vessels and it is here that actual gas exchange takes place. (See table 1)

Air moves into and out of the lungs because of changes in the pressure of air in the lungs. The
diaphragm is the primary muscle involved in breathing, but the intercostal muscles located between the
ribs also participate. Recall that the diaphragm is a sheetlike muscle separating the thoracic and
abdominal cavities.
Inspiration (inhalation) results from the contraction of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, which
increases the volume of the thoracic cavity and simultaneously decreases the air pressure in the lungs.
Air flows into the lungs because atmospheric air pressure is greater than the air pressure in the lungs.

Expiration (exhalation) results from the relaxation of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, which
decreases the volume of the thoracic cavity and increases the air pressure in the lungs. Air flows out of
the lungs because air pressure in the lungs is greater than the atmospheric air pressure.

The in and out flow of air from the lungs is known as tidal flow. Tidal flow is less efficient than one-way
through flow (as seen with the flow of water over the gills of fish). In tidal flow the same air passes over
each part of the respiratory surface twice in each breathing cycle. In other words oxygen-depleted air
must be breathed out before fresh air can be taken in, conversely in through-flow there is a continuous
flow of water of relatively high oxygen concentration over the respiratory surface.

Table 1 Composition of inspired and expired air.

Inspired air Expire air

21% oxygen 17% oxygen

79% nitrogen 79% nitrogen

0.03% carbon dioxide 4% carbon dioxide

variable water vapor saturated water vapor

atmospheric temperature body temperature

bacteria bacteria

The lungs are held to the internal surface of the wall of the thorax during the breathing movements by
the suction effect of the pleural fluid between the double pleural membranes which surround the lungs.
The lung tissues are elastic and this enables them to accommodate the changes in size during the
breathing movements.

Although voluntary control can be exerted over breathing (essential for speech), the basic rhythms are
involuntary, being controlled by rhythmic discharges of nerve impulses from the respiratory control
centers in the medulla oblongata of the brain. These respiratory control centers respond primarily to
the level of blood carbon dioxide, with an increase causing an increase in breathing rate.

Smoking has a dramatic effect on the condition of your respiratory system. A lighted cigarette produces
a number of harmful substances. Some irritate the membrane lining the upper respiratory tract, while
others stop the cilia from beating. Extra mucus (phlegm) forms in the trachea and bronchi, causing
“smoker’s cough”. The cough is the only way for your lungs to get rid of the build up of phlegm.
Smoking also weakens the walls of the alveoli and repeated coughing can destroy some of them. This
breakdown of the alveoli is called emphysema.

Answer question 1 in the moodle lab report.

INSTRUCTIONS:

A. Artificial Thorax
An artificial thorax is a device which mimics the organs of the respiratory system and allows the
pressure/volume relationships to be manipulated. You will build your own artificial thorax today using
some of the materials for the lab.
1. Remove the bottom of your bottle (cut it off).
2. Tie a knot in one end of a balloon and cut off the wide end
3. Stretch this wide end around the bottom of your plastic bottle
4. Put a straw in the neck of the other balloon and secure tightly with the elastic band but not so that
you crush the straw. The air must flow through so test it with a little blow through the straw to see if the
balloon inflates.
5. Put the straw and the balloon into the neck of the bottle and secure with the playdough making a seal
around the bottle – make sure that again, you don’t crush the straw.
6. Your final project should look like this:
Procedure:
1. Label the diagram in question 2 of the moodle lab report with the anatomical structures represented
by the model.

2. Pull on the rubber membrane (diaphragm) to simulate inspiration.

3. Push the rubber membrane upward to simulate expiration.

4. Take a picture of you holding the model. Answer questions 3-5 in the moodle lab report.

B. Measuring Vital Capacity

The amount of air that you move in and out of your lungs while breathing normally is called TIDAL
VOLUME. This amount of air provides enough oxygen for a person who is resting. It is possible to inhale
and exhale more forcefully - the maximum amount of air moved in and out of the lungs is called the
VITAL CAPACITY. In this activity, you will be measuring the vital capacity and the tidal volume of your
own lungs, this actual number can then be compared with a number derived from an equation that
measures vital capacity. In effect, you are measuring an actual number, based on laboratory
measurements, to a theoretical number, based on an equation. If you have any breathing difficulties
(asthma or other condition), you should not participate in this activity - contact your instructor if this is
the case.

The vital capacity is sometimes used as an indicator of pulmonary function. A significant decrease in
vital capacity is usually associated with emphysema and other lung diseases.

Procedure
1. Measuring Tidal Volume -- Stretch a round balloon several times to stretch it out. Inhale normally and
then exhale normally into the balloon. Do not force your breathing. Pinch the end of the balloon and
measure its diameter. Repeat this so that you have 3 total measurements and can take the average and
record in the data table.

2. Measuring Vital Capacity - Repeat the procedure, only this time inhale as much air as you can and
exhale forcefully. Record three measurements in the data table.

3. Convert the diameters to a volume using the graph and record this in your table.
4. Estimated Vital Capacity

Research has shown that the capacity of a person's lungs is proportional to the surface area of his or her
body. To find the surface area, you will need to know your height and weight. Go to this website and
enter your height and weight (make sure you select "lbs" and "in" if that is what you have weighed and
measured yourself in!!).

http://www-users.med.cornell.edu/~spon/picu/calc/bsacalc.htm

Enter your surface area (SA) into question 6 in the Moodle lab report.

Once you have calculated your surface area, a second equation will calculate your estimated vital
capacity.

Males: SA x 2500
Females SA x 2000

Enter your estimated vital capacity into question 6 in the Moodle lab report.

Using all of your acquired information, complete the data table in question 7 of the moodle lab report.

Using your height (in cm---- height in inches x 2.54 = height in cm) and your vital capacity (in ml), post
this information and whether you are a smoker or non-smoker in the VITAL CAPACITY DISCUSSION
FORUM located under the laboratory section in Moodle. THIS IS DUE NO LATER THAN FRIDAY evening.
If you post your information after Friday, you receive 0 points for that portion of the lab. Take all of the
class' data + your own data + the provided sample data in Moodle and combine those together. You will
do this by simply adding your own data and the classes data to the sample data list that is provided.
Once that is all together in excel, form a graph of all the data in excel to compare smokers’ and non-
smokers’ Vital Capacities. Be sure to include a title and key.

If you need help with this graph in excel, you can use the FREE 24 HOUR tutoring service found at the
top of our course page. Once the graph is complete, save it to your computer and upload it into Moodle
in the correct location under the Laboratory section.

After your graph is complete, use it to answer questions 8-11 in the moodle lab report.

5. Examine the data table of a person who entered into a training program. This person's vital capacity
was measured over a 60 day period. Answer questions 12-14 in the moodle lab report.

DATA

Day of Training Vital Capacity

0 4800
10 4840
20 4890
30 4930
40 4980
50 5180
60 5260

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Use this document to record your responses prior to attempting the lab report.

1. Define and give the function of:

a) diaphragm –
b) trachea -
c) epiglottis -
d) nasal cavities -
e) larynx -

2. Label the artificial thorax with the correct anatomical terms by putting the name of the structure beside
the associated letter. This image is a bit different than what you created as it has 2 balloons inside, but is
essentially representing the same structures.
 C
A

A-
B-
C-
D-
E-

3. a) When you pulled the diaphragm down what change occurred in chest cavity pressure (think about
what changes in pressure occur during inspiration)?
b) Explain how this change in chest cavity pressure affected the lungs.

4. a) When you pushed the diaphragm up what change occurred in chest cavity pressure?
b) Explain how this change in chest cavity pressure affected the lungs.

5. Explain how expiration occurs.

6. Surface Area =
Estimated Vital Capacity =
7. DATA TABLE

Tidal Volume Vital Capacity Estimated Vital Capacity

Balloon Volume (from Balloon Volume (from

Diameter graph) Diameter graph)
Height (cm)
Trial
Mass (kg)
1
Surface Area
2
Vital Capacity
3

Average

.
8. From your graph describe the correlation between height and vital capacity.
9. From your graph describe the correlation between smoking and vital capacity.
10. The correlations shown by the graphs of the class data may be different to what you expected.
Provide reasons that may explain why our class data did not fit the expected outcome of the experiment.
(Make sure you say what you expected the result to be, what the data showed, and why they may be
different.)
11. Very few people will have their VC exactly match their predicted value. Give reasons as to why this
may be so.
12. What happened to the person's vital capacity over the course of the training period?
13. What probably caused the change?
14. How might vital capacity be important to a musician?
15. Attach a word document with your 2 pictures. 1) a picture of all of your materials together, 2) a
picture of you holding your model.