The Mechanism of Breathing

http://
teachhealthk-12.uthscsa.edu/curricu
lum/pulmonary/pulmonary-breathsimul
ation.asp
(Anatomy of Breathing Flash Animation)

Inhalation
1. The Intercostal
muscles contract,
sending the rib cage
upward and outward
2. The Diaphragm
contracts, and moves
downward
3. The Volume inside of
the chest cavity
increases
4. The Pressure inside the
chest cavity decreases
5. Air enters the lungs to

Exhalation
1. The Intercostal
muscles relax,
sending the rib cage
downward and inward
2. The Diaphragm
relaxes, and moves
upward
3. The Volume inside of
the chest cavity
decreases
4. The Pressure inside
the chest cavity
increases
5. Air exits the lungs to

Another Animation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43
jJGXudePs&safety_mode=true&persis
t_safety_mode=1&safe=active

Inhaled vs. Exhaled Air

Oxygen
Concentration

Carbon Dioxide
Concentration
Nitrogen
Concentration

Dryness

Temperature

Cleanliness

Inhaled Air

21 %

Exhaled Air

0.04 %
78 %

5%

78 %

Drier

Moist

Colder or Warmer
than 37 C
Dirtier

Warm (close to 37
C)
*Cleaner (filtered)

16 %

*Exhaled air may contain bacteria or viruses, but is cleaner in terms of

Turbinate
Bones
Increase Surface
Area
and
Increase the rate
of

Filtering
Warming and
Moistening of
air

Breathing versus
Respiration

 Breathing: The act of bringing air in and

out of lungs; consists of inhalation and
exhalation; it is an external
mechanical process
Cellular (Cell) Respiration: When glucose
(food) and oxygen combine to produce
carbon dioxide, water and ATP energy;
occurs in the mitochondria of cells; it is
an internal chemical process

Equation: C6H12O6 + O2

CO2 +

How are Breathing and Cell

Respiration Connected?
In order for cell respiration to occur,
oxygen must move into cells, while
carbon dioxide must move out of
cells.
The exchange is made in the lungs
during breathing

Exchanges made
between the
lungs and the
blood are said to
be external
exchanges,
because the
lungs are open to
the outside of the
body.

Gas Exchange

 Carbon dioxide and oxygen swap places.

The gases move by a process called
diffusion.
In animals, oxygen is moved from the air
in the lungs to the blood, and then from
the blood to the cells.
Carbon dioxide
moves in the
opposite
direction

Lung
s

O
2

Bloo
d

CO
2

Cells

http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiT621PrrO0&safety_mode=true&per
sist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

Label and Color the Alveolus

Diagram

Use Red for oxygenated

blood
and Blue for deoxygenated
blood

Conditions required for Gas

Exchange
1. Thin walls (air sacs and blood
vessels) so that gases can pass
through the walls
2. Moist walls so that gases can
dissolve and pass into the blood and
cytoplasm of cells (which need
materials in liquid, not gaseous
form)

3. Concentration gradient so that gases can

move by diffusion; movement of molecules occurs
from higher towards lower concentrations

Hig
h

Low

4. Pressure gradient so that the gases can be

pushed in the direction that they need to move into;
molecules will move from areas of higher towards
areas of lower pressure

Effect of Altitude on Gas

Exchange
At Sea
Level, Air
Pressure is
Higher
because
there are
more air
particles
on top of
you

At high altitudes (like up on a mountain):

There are lots of oxygen molecules
But oxygen molecules cant get into the body
cells

This is because:
There isnt enough pressure
To push the oxygen from the lungs
across the air sacs,
blood vessels,
and cell membranes
into the cells where the oxygen is needed.

At HIGH altitudes.

Press
ure
Gradi
ent

Diffusi
on
Gradie
nt

ffusion Gradient is in the right direction but the Pressure Gradien

Gas Transport
Oxygen and Carbon dioxide are carried
in the blood stream.
Oxygen is carried from the lungs to
cells which then use the oxygen for cell
respiration.
Carbon dioxide is produced by cell
respiration and is carried from the cells
to the lungs to be exhaled.

Hemoglobin

A chemical found inside red blood cells.

It has 4 binding spots for gas molecules.
There are many hemoglobin molecules
in each red blood cell.
Hemoglobin can carry

oxygen
carbon dioxide
hydrogen ions
carbon monoxide

 A hemoglobin molecule consists of 4

Globular proteins (polypeptide
chains) bound to a central iron (Fe)
atom (called a Heme group).hence
the name Hemo Globin.
Blood
Vessel

F
e

Red blood
cell

Oxygen Transport
Oxygen travels through the blood stream in 2
ways:
Dissolved in the blood plasma (3%)
Attached to hemoglobin oxyhemoglobin
(97%)
(Hb + O2
HbO2)
Blood vessel

Diagram:

9
7
%

RB
C

3% in
plasma

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXOBJEXxNEo&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active
(3 min. Pre-load to avoid ad, stop showing at graph)

Carbon Dioxide Transport

Carbon dioxide travels through the blood stream
in 3 ways:
Dissolved in the blood plasma (9%)
Attached to hemoglobin
carbaminohemoglobin (27%)
(Hb + CO2
HbCO2)
As a combination of bicarbonate ions dissolved in
blood plasma and hydrogen ions attached to
Blood
hemoglobin - acid hemoglobin (64%)
Vessel
+
(Hb +
H
HHb)
27
9% CO2
64
Diagram:
%
http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2
6TWL3VKMg&NR=1&safety_mode
=true&persist_safety_mode=
1&safe=active

CO
2

%
H+

and 64%
HCO3in plasma

 If carbonic acid were allow to accumulate in the

blood vessels, it would cause respiratory acidosis
and could damage blood vessel walls
The body solves this problem by buffering the
blood
Once hydrogen ions are generated they are
hidden away inside red blood cells they attach
to hemoglobin to become acid hemoglobin
The bicarbonate ions are benign and can travel
through the blood vessels without causing problems

Carbon Monoxide Transport

Carbon monoxide (CO) binds to hemoglobin
200X more tightly than oxygen
Even if there is plenty of oxygen present,
the hemoglobin will choose CO over
oxygen, leading to the death of the person.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless and
odorless gas that is a by-product of
combustion reactions found in smoke.
It is very important to have a carbon
monoxide detector in your home.

Control of Breathing
Number of breaths per minute taken at
rest is about 14-20
More when exercising
Breathing rate and heart rate are tied
together
Breather rate and depth control by the
medulla oblongata and the pons in
the brain

Nervous Control of
Breathing
Sensors called
chemoreceptors detect
CO2 levels in blood
Higher CO2 levels =
faster and deeper
breathing
To speed rate and depth
of breathing, the brain
sends messages to the
diaphragm & intercostal
muscles using
sympathetic nerves

Brai
n

Nervous
Control of
Breathing

Muscles contract faster to

speed up rate of breathing
when CO2 is high
Muscles contract slower to
slow rate of breathing when

Feedback Loops

Exercis
e

Hold
breath

Certain drugs

High
CO2
Levels
in
Blood
Chemoreceptors
(medulla &
Pons)
Diaphrag
m
Rate of
breathin
g
Increase

Intercos
tal
muscles

High Altitude Athletic

Training
Training in places with higher elevations (ex. Colorado) in order to
increase lung capacity and thus performance
At first - breathing & heart rates will be higher than normal
After a few months of training....
The lungs have stretched
Breathing rates return to normal 14-20 breaths/minute
More capillaries grew around alveoli
to accommodate a faster gas exchange
More red blood cells will have been added
to the blood stream for a greater
oxygen carrying capacity.
The athlete then returns to lower
altitudes to compete