Ch. 21 The Respiratory System

Amerman3rd EditionHuman Anatomy & PhysiologyISBN: 9780138247201, 9780138247928, 9780138201814Not the one you use?Change textbook

Amerman 3rd Edition

Ch. 21 The Respiratory System

Problem L2.1

Chapter 21, Problem L2.1

Explain what would happen to the pressure inside a cylinder if you decreased its volume, according to Boyle's law.

Verified step by step guidance

Boyle's law states that the pressure of a gas is inversely proportional to its volume, provided the temperature and the amount of gas remain constant. This can be expressed mathematically as:

P V = k

, where P is pressure, V is volume, and k is a constant.

Rearrange the equation to show the relationship between pressure and volume:

P = \frac{k}{V}

. This indicates that as volume (V) decreases, pressure (P) must increase to maintain the constant k.

To understand this conceptually, imagine compressing the gas in the cylinder. Decreasing the volume forces the gas particles into a smaller space, which increases the frequency of collisions between the particles and the walls of the cylinder, thereby increasing the pressure.

If you were to graph this relationship, you would see a hyperbolic curve where pressure increases as volume decreases, illustrating the inverse relationship.

In summary, according to Boyle's law, decreasing the volume of the cylinder will result in an increase in the pressure inside the cylinder, assuming temperature and the amount of gas remain constant.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Boyle's Law

Boyle's Law states that the pressure of a gas is inversely proportional to its volume when the temperature is held constant. This means that if the volume of a gas decreases, the pressure increases, provided the amount of gas and temperature remain unchanged.

Inversely Proportional Relationship

An inversely proportional relationship means that as one variable increases, the other decreases. In the context of Boyle's Law, when the volume of a gas decreases, the pressure increases, illustrating this fundamental relationship between pressure and volume.

Ideal Gas Behavior

Ideal gas behavior refers to the theoretical model where gases follow the gas laws perfectly under all conditions. While real gases may deviate from this behavior at high pressures and low temperatures, Boyle's Law applies well to ideal gases, making it a useful approximation in many practical situations.

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Textbook Question

You and a friend are having a contest to see who can hold his or her breath the longest. Your friend hyperventilates before holding his breath, and subsequently wins the contest. Why did hyperventilation give him an advantage?

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Textbook Question

Predict what would happen to the tidal volume and inspiratory reserve volume if the phrenic nerves were severed. Which muscles would contract to try to compensate for this?

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Textbook Question

What happens to the metabolic rate of skeletal muscle tissue during exercise? What waste products are produced from metabolic reactions? How and why does this affect your rate of ventilation during exercise?

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Textbook Question

Which of the following are functions of the respiratory system? Circle all that apply.

a. Providing for speech

b. Regulating the autonomic nervous system

c. Maintaining the acid-base balance of the blood

d. Temperature homeostasis

e. Raising the pressure in the abdominopelvic cavity

f. Assisting in blood pressure regulation

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Textbook Question

If you swallow a large bite of food without properly chewing it first, you will feel discomfort during ventilation. Explain this, considering the arrangement of the trachea and the esophagus.

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Textbook Question

Air enters the lungs through the hollow passages known collectively as the _____, which terminate in grapelike clusters called _____. The lungs are encased in the ____ membranes.