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1.2.3: A healthy, active lifestyle and
your respiratory system
The respiratory system is everything we use to breath.
You need to be able to understand how we breath to get oxygen into the body and to get
rid of waste carbon dioxide.
The Lungs
The Trachea is split up into two bronchus that leads into both our lungs. The bronchi are
further distributed into bronchi and bronchiole. The air travels along these tubes and
finally ends up in the air sacs (alveoli). The air sacs are surrounded by a network of
capillaries and as the blood flows through these capillaries, the oxygen in the air
sacs(alveoli) diffuse into the blood, thus reoxygenating them. In the cells, the oxygen
combines with glycogen to release energy for vital activities of our body.
The diaphragm
As we breathe in, the diaphragm contracts and depresses so that a lot of air enters and fills up the lungs.
The ribs are therefore raised. When we breathe out, the ribs return to their original position and the
diaphragm relaxes and arches upwards. The air is forced out of the lungs and returns the same way it came.
The path the air takes back out is very similar, except that this time round, the blood meets the air sacs and
carbon dioxide diffuses out. This carbon dioxide finally returns to the atmosphere when we exhale.
How we breath
Inspiration - Breath in
When you inhale:



the intercostal muscles contract, expanding the ribcage.
the diaphragm contracts, pulling downwards to increase the volume of the chest.
pressure inside the chest is lowered and air is sucked into the lungs.
Expiration - Breath out
When you exhale:



the intercostal muscles relax, the ribcage drops inwards and downwards
the diaphragm relaxes, moving back upwards, decreasing the volume of the chest.
pressure inside the chest increases and air is forced out.
Gaseous exchange
Gas is exchanged (oxygen into carbon dioxide) from the air into the blood stream in
the alveoli (tiny air sacs). Waste carbon dioxide is transferred from the blood back into
the air also.
A good diagram of this is shown on GCSE bitesize (click link)
Respiration
Respiration is the release of energy from glucose in the muscles.
When the body is at rest this is aerobic respiration. As you exercise you breathe harder
and deeper and the heart beats faster to get oxygen to the muscles.
Glucose + oxygen → energy + water + carbon dioxide
When exercising very hard, the heart cannot get enough oxygen to the muscles.
Respiration then becomes anaerobic.
Glucose → energy + lactic acid
Vital capacity is the most air you can breath in or out in one breath.
Tidal volume
Ventilation rate
Oxygen debt - The amount of oxygen consumed during recovery above that which
would have ordinarily been consumed in the same time at rest (this results in a shortfall in
the oxygen available)
Short term effects
You need to know the short term effects exercising has on your respiratory system.
As you exercise your body needs more oxygen. To do this your body changes;
1.
2.
3.
4.
You breath more quickly
You also breath more deeply (take in larger volumes of air each breath)
If your doing anaerobic activity then lactic acid will begin to build up in your
muscles
When you stop exercising anaerobically your body will continue to breath heavily
to get rid of the lactic acid by repaying the 'oxygen debt'.
Long term effects
Exercising regularly has long term benefits on your respiratory system.
The muscles around your chest cavity get stronger - so they can make your chest cavity
larger
With a larger chest cavity you can breath in more air in one breath (increase vital
capacity)
Your lungs get more efficient at exchanging gas into and out of the blood stream.
The larger your lung capacity, the more oxygen you can get into your lungs and enter
your blood stream per breath.
This means you have a better oxygen supply to the body which means you should be able
to exercise for longer.
Vital Capacity
When you're breathing normally you only breath a small amount of air in and out. When
you exercise you breath deeper so can take more air in with each breath.
Vital capacity is the most air you can breath in or out in one breath.
You can improve your vital capacity by taking part in regular exercise.
Smoking
Smoking has a really bad effect on your respiratory system;
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

Smoking can lead to lots of different lung diseases like
cancer, bronchitis and emphysema.
Cigarette smoke contains tar that clogs up the alveoli and
makes it harder for gas exchange to take place. eventually
the alveoli will stop working. Even if the tar is removed and
the alveoli repair they will never be as efficient as they were.
Cigarette smoke also contains nicotine. Nicotine causes the
blood vessels in the lungs to tighten which slows the blood
flow in the lungs. This makes the gas exchange process less
efficient.
1.
Identify a benefit of long-term participation in physical activity to the respiratory
system.
A
Muscle atrophy.
B
Vital capacity.
C
Faster recovery rate.
D
Stroke volume.
6(Total 1 mark)
2.
Which of the following is not an immediate effect that exercise and physical activity
can have on the respiratory system?
A
Increased breathing rate.
B
Increased depth of breathing.
C
Increased lung capacity.
D
Oxygen debt.
(Total 1 mark)
3.
An increase in breathing rate is an example of:
A
a long term benefit of exercise
B
a poor level of fitness
C
an immediate effect of exercise
D
an effect of regular training.
4.
Which of the following statements correctly identifies the effects of smoking on
sports performers?
A
Carbon dioxide in cigarette smoke reduces oxygen available to the muscles.
B
Haemoglobin prefers carbon monoxide so more oxygen is carried out of the
lungs.
C
Cardiovascular endurance is not affected by smoking, but speed is, so the
sprinter cannot run as fast.
D
Recovery in endurance athletes is slower as a reduced amount of oxygen gets
to the muscles due to carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke.
(Total 1 mark)
5.
Which of the situations in the following statements causes an increase in breathing
rate?
A
A long term benefit of exercise.
B
A poor level of fitness.
C
An immediate effect of exercise.
D
An effect of regular training.
(Total 1 mark)
8.
The following statements all relate to the effects of exercise on the cardiovascular
and respiratory systems.
A
A drop in resting heart rate.
B
An increase in heart rate.
C
An increase in breathing rate.
D
An increase in lung volumes.
(a)
Which of the statements is an immediate effect of exercise on the respiratory
system?
(Total 1 mark)
9.
Complete the statement.
During exercise your breathing rate ......................................................... in order to
take in more air.
(Total 1 mark)
11.
Emma is a fast runner and enjoys playing rounders
(Source: Essential GCSE PE for Edexcel,
Hodder Arnold, 2005)
In a rounders game, Emma has to sprint between the posts. If she sprints round all
four posts she will build up an oxygen debt.
(i)
Explain the term oxygen debt.
..............................................................................................................................
.......
..............................................................................................................................
.......
..............................................................................................................................
.......
(3)
(ii)
How does Emma repay this oxygen debt?
..............................................................................................................................
.......
(1)
(iii)
Emma trains regularly to increase her fitness. State two ways in which the
respiratory system is affected by regular training.
1
...................................................................................................................
...............
..............................................................................................................................
.......
(1)
2
...................................................................................................................
...............
..............................................................................................................................
.......
(1)
12 (ii)
If a player has built up an oxygen debt will she have been working aerobically
or anaerobically?
..............................................................................................................................
.......
(1)
(iii)
What by-product is associated with an oxygen debt?
..............................................................................................................................
.......
(1
(iv)
State TWO ways in which the performer could help remove this bi-product.
1.
...................................................................................................................
...............
(1)
2.
...................................................................................................................
................
(1)
13.
(a)
(i)
Before exercise Sohail was breathing at a rate of 16 breaths per minute.
Tick the appropriate box to show what would happen to his breathing
rate as a result of hard exercise.
Stay the same
Slow down
Speed up
(1)
(ii)
Why does the respiratory system respond in this way?
...................................................................................................................
.........
...................................................................................................................
.........
(1)
15.
(a)
The maximum amount of air that can be forcibly exhaled after breathing in as
much as possible.
..............................................................................................................................
.......
(1)
16
What happens in the alveoli
……………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………….
(2 marks
17. What happens to the diaphragm and ribs when we breathe in
……………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………….
(2marks)
18. What is another term for breathing in?
……………………………………………………………………………………….
19. What is another term for breathing out?
………………………………………………………………………………………. (1)
20. complete the equation for aerobic respiration
Glucose + ………….→ energy + water + carbon dioxide
(1)
(1)