Respirational System In The Respiratory System

Introduction

The body’s respiratory system’s functionality is primarily simple. Starting with inhalation first, oxygen rich air enters either the nostrils where cilia filter out foreign particles such as dust. After these foreign particles are coughed or sneezed out of the airway, air then passes through the nasal cavity into the oropharynx. From here the air containing oxygen the body needs passes through the laryngopharynx to the larynx, which is the transitional point between the upper and lower airways, and is protected by the epiglottis. The epiglottis closes over the top of the larynx when a person swallows to protect against aspirating food or fluid into the lower airways. After passing the larynx, air then travels down the trachea,

External respiration is the process of gas diffusion within the lungs, whereas internal respiration is the gas diffusion in tissues (Dyer 2014). Blood that is pumped by the heart through pulmonary perfusion is what carries carbon dioxide that has exited the tissues to the pulmonary capillary and alveolus where oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange because of their concentration differences. Oxygen enters the blood from the respiration system while carbon dioxide exits the blood into the respiratory system (Shuster 2014). Ventilation-perfusion ratio explains how different conditions can affect the efficiency of molecule diffusion. The alveoli receive air at a rate of about four liters per minute, and the capillaries provide blood at a rate of five liters per minute; creating a ratio of 4:5 or 0.8 percent diffusion (Dyer 2014). Given that carbon dioxide and oxygen diffusion between alveoli and capillaries greatly effects the body’s respiratory rate, the question arises as to how does different physical and respiratory actions alter a person’s ability to hold their breath (Dyer 2014)? Given that carbon dioxide and oxygen diffusion is required for life, it is hypothesized that peoples respiratory rates, particularly students participating in the study, will be most affected by exercise, hyperventilation will effect respiratory rates the second most, and sitting quietly will effect

Then the student should remain sitting and plug their nose while using the stopwatch to count how many seconds they can hold their breath. Afterwards the student should then record their data and more on to the final step in the experiment.

At the final step, the student will run in place for one minute. After this form of exercising the student will then sit down and record their number of seconds they can hold their breath using the stopwatch, and while plugging their nose to reassure no air is inhaled. After the student can no longer hold their breath, they should stop the stopwatch and record how many seconds have passed by while holding their breath.

After all the data is gathered from the entire group of people participating, the average should be calculated for each action: sitting quietly, hyperventilating, and exercising. Once this final calculation is made, the experiment is complete and the results can be reviewed.