RESPIRATORY SYSTEM WORKSHEET

The exercises with the number in red are the priority ones to work in class, but ALL the
exercises are important.

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

1. Name the parts of the respiratory system described below.

a. Muscle at the base of the lungs Diaphragm
b. Folds of tissue that vibrate when we breathe out, producing the sound of our
voice. vocal cords
c. Part of the respiratory tract reinforced by C-shaped cartilage rings. trachea
d. Air sacs at the end of the bronchioles. alveoli
e. Flap of cartilage that closes the glottis during deglutition. epiglottis
f. Mucous membrane of the nasal cavities that heats, moistens and cleans the
air. pituitary membrane / respiratory epithelium
g. Two tubes into which the trachea splits. bronchi
h. A tube in the neck that connects the larynx to the trachea. pharynx
2. The image below shows a bronchography, an X-ray technique that uses a contrast
medium to view the airways.

a. Identify the numbered parts of the respiratory system.

1- trachea; 2+6-bronchi; 3+5- bronchioles; 4- diaphragm
b. What is the function of the part numbered 4?
To contract or relax to expand the lungs during ventilation, letting the air in and out of the
body.
c. What are the respiratory infectious illnesses called when they affect:
i. zone 1: tracheitis
ii. zones 2 or 6: bronchitis
iii. zones 3 or 5: bronchiolitis
3. Why is the respiratory system important?
The respiratory system is in charge of providing the body with oxygen (O2). Oxygen is
needed for producing energy through cellular respiration.

Cellular respiration: O2 + glucose → CO2 + Energy

During cellular respiration, apart from producing energy we also produce carbon dioxide,
which must be released, as it is toxic for our cells. Carbon dioxide will leave the blood during
gas exchange, which is also carried out by the respiratory system. Finally, the CO2 is
expelled during exhalation.

4. What is the relationship between the respiratory system and the digestive system?
For our body to produce energy by cellular respiration it needs O2 (provided by the
respiratory system) and glucose (provided by the digestion of nutrients by the digestive
system).

5. What is gas exchange? How is it carried out?

It is the exchange of gases (CO2 and O2) between the bloodstream and the alveolus. It is
carried out by simple diffusion, in which molecules move from higher concentration to lower
concentration.
As the air we inhale is rich in O2 but the bloodstream isn’t, the gas will move from the
alveolus to the capillary. This is how oxygen enters the blood.
On the other hand, the blood that reaches the alveolus has a high concentration of CO2
(resulting from the cellular respiration in the cells of our body), while the air we inhale has
lower concentration of CO2. Therefore, the carbon dioxide will diffuse into the alveolus and
will lately be expelled during exhalation.

6. Tell if the following events happen during inhalation, exhalation or gas exchange.

Ventilation Gas
exchange
Inhalation Exhalation

Movement of CO2 out of the body x

Movement of CO2 out of the bloodstream x

Simple diffusion x

Contraction of the diaphragm x

Relaxation of the diaphragm x

The lungs are involved x x

The alveoli are involved x

Movement of O2 into the body x

Movement of O2 into the bloodstream x

 7. In winemaking, the fermentation of grape juice releases large quantities of carbon
dioxide. How would breathing in this air rich in CO2 affect the gas exchange in the
alveoli? What could this lead to?
Gas exchange takes place in the pulmonary alveoli. CO2 and O2 move between the air and
the blood. The gases move from the area of highest concentration to the area of lowest
concentration.
If we breathe in air rich in CO2, the CO2 won’t move from the blood into the alveoli, and O2
won't move into the blood. If the concentration of CO2 is very high, CO2 may even move
from the alveoli into the blood. This can lead to metabolic asphyxiation, as the body's cells
won’t receive the oxygen they need for cellular respiration.

PROJECT
8. What is CO2? How can we measure it?
CO2 is a greenhouse effect gas (GEG) that is produced by the combustion of fossil fuels as
well as natural processes (f.ex. cellular respiration).
It can be measured with a carbon dioxide metre.

9. What is asthma?
Asthma is the result of a temporary narrowing of the bronchi. It can be caused by an allergic
reaction or anxiety. Asthma causes shortness of breath and fatigue.

10. What is allergic rhinitis?

It is an allergic reaction to particles in the air (dust, pollen…). As a result, the following
symptoms are produced: running nose, itchy and red eyes, cough…

11. What is COPD?

It is the destruction of the walls of the alveoli, which leads to pulmonary emphysema. Signs
of COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) include a persistent cough with phlegm
and increasing breathlessness. COPD can be caused by smoking.

12. Tell 3 individual actions that can be done to reduce air pollution.
- Reduce the use of private transports (cars)
- Buy local products, to reduce the emissions of pollutants derived from the transport.
- Get involved in community actions like planting trees.

13. Tell 3 actions that can be taken by the government to reduce air pollution.
- Create and protect green areas (f.ex. Parks, hills…)
- Promote the use of public transport by reducing the prices.
- Promote the use of renewable sources of energy to reduce the use of fossil fuels.

14. Tell 3 actions that can be taken by different states (i.e. global agreements) to reduce
air pollution.
- Limit the emissions of CO2 per country.
- Give financial aid for investment in green energy.
- Invest in science for capturing pollutants from the air.

15. Look at the following graph:

Source: World Economic Forum (link)

a. What is shown on the horizontal axis? And on the vertical ones?

Horizontal: The years, from 1960 to 2015. Vertical: CO2 (left) and temperature (right).

b. Is there a relationship between CO2 and the temperature? Is it correlation,

causality or both? Justify your answer.
We can tell there is correlation because both variables increase during the years. Also, we
know that there is a causality relationship, because CO2 is a greenhouse effect gas, which
increases global temperature as it prevents the sun radiation from going back to space.

c. Click on the link for the source of the graph. Is it a reliable source of
information?
Yes, the World Economic Forum is a reliable source of information, as it is officially
recognised by many countries. Also, in the link the information that is presented is based on
scientific literature from reliable centres (f.ex. National Centers for Environmental
Information) which we can access from the WEF website.

16. The following graphs show trends in prevalence and incidence of chronic respiratory
diseases from 1990 to 2017.

Source: Xie, M., Liu, X., Cao, X. et al. Trends in prevalence and incidence of chronic
respiratory diseases from 1990 to 2017. Respir Res 21, 49 (2020).
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12931-020-1291-8
 a. Is the source reliable? Why or why not? Yes, it is reliable as it is a scientific paper
published in Springer Nature (an important science journal).
b. What does SDI mean? It means Socio-Demographic Index and it combines
information on the economy, education, and fertility rate of countries around the
world, as a representation of social and economic development.
c. Which countries have the greatest incidence of COPD? And the lowest incidence?
Highest incidence = low SDI. Lowest incidence = high SDI
d. Do you think that there is any relationship between the SDI and the incidence of
COPD? Why?
Lower SDI may be related to less investment in education and environmental policies, as
well as a worse healthcare system. Therefore, there is a higher risk of developing COPD.
e. Which countries have the greatest incidence of asthma? And the lowest incidence?
Greatest incidence = middle SDI; lowest = high-middle SDI
f. Do you think that there is any relationship between the SDI and the incidence of
asthma? Why?
In this case, the explanation given previously is not valid for explaining asthma prevalence.
Therefore, we might think that asthma incidence is not related to the SDI.
g. Compare the two graphs in this question with the graph on CO2 and temperature
levels on question number 17. Can you tell any relationship between the incidences
and CO2 or the temperature? Is it correlation, causality, both or none? Search for
information to justify your answer.
First of all, we must take into account the years included in each graph for comparison.
We cannot tell any correlation between them, as COPD and asthma incidences should
increase from the year 1990 to the year 2007 along with the rise in CO2 and temperature,
which does not happen.
IMPORTANT:
Scientific literature suggests that there might be a relationship between CO2 and asthma.
If CO2 levels increase, the greenhouse effect increases, therefore the global temperature
increases as well.
○ The increase in temperature stimulates the blooming of plants, so pollen is
released.
○ Pollen is one of the main asthma triggers. Asthma is a reaction of our body to
foreign molecules (f.ex. pollen).
○ Conclusion: the more CO2, the more prevalence of asthma.
In relation to COPD, we cannot tell any causality.