Respiratory System Trivia

1. Olfaction is the term given to the sense of smell. Which cranial nerve is the olfactory nerve?

From Quiz What's That Smell? - The Nasal Cavity

Answer: I

The olfactory nerve is unusual in that the neurons continue to divide throughout a person's life. Also, they do not form trunks; instead, the fibers travel to the olfactory bulb, which is part of the forebrain. To test the integrity of each olfactory nerve, the patient's nostril is blocked on one side, and a strong odor is introduced to the other nostril.

From Quiz Lung Mechanics: Statics & Dynamics

Answer: End of maximum inspiration

The inspiratory reserve volume (IRV) is measured at the end of maximum inspiration. In a healthy male weighing 70kg, this figure will be about 3000ml. The expiratory reserve volume (ERV) is measured at the end of maximum expiration, giving a figure of about 1000ml. The difference in volume at the end of normal inspiration and expiration is known as the tidal volume. This is usually about 500ml. As you cannot expirate all the gas in the lungs, there is a residual volume left inside which cannot be measured by spirometry. This is believed to be around 1200ml.

From Quiz The Respiratory System and Pulmonary Circulation

Answer: Olfactory Mucosa

Gas exchange is where oxygen is transported from the air to the blood so it can be delivered to our organs. It is also the removal of waste carbon dioxide from the blood, where it is the expirated into the air. The gases move by diffusion between blood capillaries and alveoli. Speech and smell are secondary functions of the respiratory system. When air passes over the olfactory mucosa it gives rise to our sense of smell. Air passing through the larynx is responsible for speech, hence why it is also known as the voicebox.

From Quiz Mucus, the quiz you'd rather not take

Answer: Circulatory system

Of course the mucus we're most familiar with is respiratory mucus, especially from the nose and lungs. But without a mucus lining the stomach would digest itself, and it lubricates and protects all three systems. In the circulatory system it would simply block the flow.

From Quiz Take a Deep Breath and Have a Go

Answer: alveoli

The lungs contain around 700 million alveoli, with a total surface area of about 70 square metres.

From Quiz The Respiratory System

Answer: pulmonologist & pulmologist & respirologist & pneumologist & pneumonologist

The respiratory system is composed of the nose, mouth, pharynx, epiglottis, esophagus, trachea, lungs, bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli.

From Quiz The Phlegmatic Quiz

Answer: Clear

Phlegm describes the mucus that lines the lungs and is clear. It can be over-produced due to irritation, usually allergies, when you have to cough up the excess, and becomes opaque when infected. The thicker and more coloured it is the worse the infection. Thick green phlegm is commonest with a chest cold but if there is also a fever the patient could have bronchitis or a similar chest infection. Yellow phlegm is closer to being pus.

From Quiz What's That Smell? - The Nasal Cavity

Answer: Cribriform plate

The name comes from the Latin "cribrum", which means sieve. The cribriform plate is filled with foramina (holes) which transmit the olfactory fibers to the roof, the septum, and superior concha of the nose. There is also a foramen for the nasociliary nerve, which is a branch of the ophthalmic nerve (which in turn comes from the fifth cranial nerve, the trigeminal nerve).

From Quiz The Larynx - Nature's Boom Box

Answer: Vocal cords/folds

The vocal cords, or folds, vibrate as air passes over them causing an audible vocalization. The tension of the cords is what gives us our pitch; taut produces a high pitch, while less elastic gives a lower one.

From Quiz The Respiratory System

Answer: Pneumothorax

When air or gas escapes from the lung tissue into the chest cavity, it forces the lung to deflate, rather like a balloon. It may happen spontaneously in the setting of a pulmonary disease, or it may follow trauma to the chest wall. A haemothorax is a collection of blood in the pleural cavity, and a haemopneumothorax is a collection of air and blood.

From Quiz The Respiratory System

Answer: Hilar region

The trachea splits into the two mainstem bronchi at the carina in the hilar region.

From Quiz Take a Deep Breath and Have a Go

Answer: vital capacity

Tidal volume is the volume a (normal) breath. Residual capacity is the volume of air left in the lungs after breathing out as much as one can. Inspiratory reserve volume is the extra air that could still be breathed in after a normal inspiration.

From Quiz The Respiratory System

Answer: inspiration & inhalation

With every inspiration through the nose or mouth, we inhale oxygen, use it, and convert it into carbon dioxide, which is expelled with every expiration.

From Quiz The Phlegmatic Quiz

Answer: Expectoration

Hawking and hacking are common terms for bringing up phlegm from the sound made. Expectoration is the medical term, deriving from the Latin meaning 'out of the lungs'. Regurgitation is bringing something up from the alimentary canal, usually the stomach.

From Quiz Lung Mechanics: Statics & Dynamics

Answer: The difference in pressures inside & outside the lung

The distending pressure across the lung, or transpulmonary pressure, is the difference in pressures inside and outside the lung. In other words, transpulmonary pressure is the difference between the alveolar pressure and intrapleural pressure.

From Quiz The Larynx - Nature's Boom Box

Answer: Thyroid

The thyroid cartilage gives us the main body of the laryngeal structure. It is what is thought of as the Adam's apple.

From Quiz Mucus, the quiz you'd rather not take

Answer: An adjective

Although it galls me every time someone spells the substance with an o, the o makes it a description rather than a substance. The commonest usage is in 'mucous membrane', the membranes in the body that are lubricated with and produce mucus.

From Quiz The Respiratory System

Answer: Carina

The carina is the keel shaped cartilage at the base of the trachea where it branches into the right and left main bronchi. It sits approximately the level of the aortic arch, the fifth thoracic vertebra, or just below the level of the angle of Louis.

From Quiz Take a Deep Breath and Have a Go

Answer: secrete mucus

The goblet cells secrete mucus to trap bacteria and dust that may be breathed in. The mucus is then moved up, away from the lungs, by cilia.

From Quiz What's That Smell? - The Nasal Cavity

Answer: To divert air to the sphenoethmoidal recess

As suggested by its name, the sphenoethmoidal recess sits at the junction between the sphenoid sinus (within the sphenoid bone) and the air cells of the ethmoid bone. It is lined by olfactory epithelium, which is a special type of nervous tissue. Neurons project from the epithelium to the olfactory nerve, which is responsible for the sense of smell. By sniffing, air is diverted past the meatuses in the nose toward this olfactory epithelium, which allows the detection of odors.

From Quiz Lung Mechanics: Statics & Dynamics

Answer: Recoil of the lung decreases

In emphysema, there is decreased recoil of the lung, but the chest wall recoil can balance this out, leading to a less negative intrapleural pressure of -3. This can cause "barrel chest" as the chest may spring outwards due to less lung recoil. In fibrosis, there is increased lung recoil, and the chest wall recoil can balance this out leading to a more negative intrapleural pressure of -7. This will cause the FRC to decrease.

From Quiz The Respiratory System and Pulmonary Circulation

Answer: To the lung lobes

The trachea first splits into two primary bronchi which lead to the left and right lung. Primary bronchi then divide into secondary bronchi, which lead to the lobes of the lung. The right lung has three lobes (superior, middle and inferior) and the left lung has two lobes (superior and inferior). The left lung only has two lobes as the area where the middle lobe would be is home to the heart instead. Secondary bronchi then divide into tertiary bronchi which lead to the subdivisions of the lobes, known as segments. Tertiary bronchi divide into bronchioles which eventually divide into terminal bronchioles, leading to the alveoli where gas exchange takes place.

From Quiz The Larynx - Nature's Boom Box

Answer: Circular

The cricoid cartilage is the circular, ring-like cartilage that is attached to the top of the airway. It helps to keep the airway open, among other duties.

From Quiz Mucus, the quiz you'd rather not take

Answer: Sputum is anything coughed up including phlegm

A doctor or nurse needs to know these differences. In respiratory diseases many clues can be gained from analysing the sputum coughed up, and it describes any substance ejected from the lungs, which is most frequently phlegm but you can probably imagine the alternatives.

From Quiz Take a Deep Breath and Have a Go

Answer: diaphragm and external intercostal muscles contract

Contraction of these muscles causes expansion of the thorax (chest), due to the ribs being raised and the diaphragm moving down. This expansion of the thorax causes a reduction of pressure, allowing air to enter.

From Quiz The Respiratory System

Answer: Thyroid cartilage

The glottis is the area between the vocal cords the epiglottis covers the larynx during swallowing , preventing food from entering the trachea, or windpipe.

From Quiz The Phlegmatic Quiz

Answer: Cough suppressant

Because phlegm is similar to pus the most important thing to do is to get rid of it by natural coughing. Suppressing the cough reflex can overwhelm the lungs with phlegm and cause pneumonia.

From Quiz What's That Smell? - The Nasal Cavity

Answer: Vestibule

The vestibule is covered with stratified squamous, keratinized epithelium. The hairs that are present are called vibrissae, otherwise known as whiskers. The vibrissae filter dust and other particles that are breathed in, and they can be seen most prominently on older males.

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Last Updated May 10 2025 5:46 AM

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