Breathing and Exchange of Gases (VSAQs)
Zoology-2 | Unit-1B: Breathing and Exchange of Gases – VSAQs:
Welcome to VSAQs in Unit-1B: Breathing and Exchange of Gases. This page includes the most important FAQs from previous exams. Each answer is presented in the exam format to help you prepare effectively and aim for top marks in your final exams.
VSAQ-1: Define Vital Capacity. What Is Its Significance?
Vital capacity is the maximum amount of air you can exhale after taking a deep breath. Picture it as the total “space” you can use to breathe in and out deeply. For most people, this capacity ranges from 3.5 to 4.5 liters. This measurement is crucial because it helps ensure that you have enough air to meet your body’s needs. By allowing for a more significant inhalation and exhalation, vital capacity supports the effective exchange of gases—bringing in fresh oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide—making your breathing more efficient.
VSAQ-2: What Is the Effect of pCO2 on Oxygen Transport?
The level of pCO2 (partial pressure of carbon dioxide) in the blood has a significant impact on how oxygen is transported. In the lungs, where pCO2 is low and pO2 (partial pressure of oxygen) is high, oxygen binds to hemoglobin in red blood cells, forming oxyhemoglobin. However, in the tissues where pCO2 is high and pO2 is low, oxygen is released from oxyhemoglobin, allowing it to be used by cells. Essentially, as pCO2 increases, it signals the release of oxygen where it is needed most, ensuring that your cells get the oxygen they need for energy.
VSAQ-3: What Happens to the Respiratory Process in a Man Going Up a Hill?
When you climb a hill, the air pressure drops, meaning there is less oxygen available with each breath. To cope with this, your body starts to breathe faster to take in more air. Your heart also works harder to pump oxygenated blood to your tissues. This increased breathing rate and heart rate help you adapt to the thinner air at higher altitudes, ensuring your body gets the oxygen it needs despite the lower atmospheric levels.
VSAQ-4: What Is Tidal Volume? Find Out the Tidal Volume (Approximate Value) in a Healthy Human. In an Hour.
Tidal volume is the amount of air you breathe in and out in one breath while at rest. For a healthy adult, this is approximately 500 ml. If you breathe about 12 to 16 times per minute, over the course of an hour, this amounts to around 360 to 480 liters of air. So, every hour, your lungs handle a substantial volume of air, helping to maintain the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your body.
VSAQ-5: What Is Meant by Chloride Shift?
Chloride shift is like a swap meet inside your blood cells. It involves the exchange of chloride ions (Cl-) and bicarbonate ions (HCO3-) between red blood cells and the plasma in your blood. This exchange helps keep the acid-base balance in your body and plays a key role in transporting carbon dioxide from the tissues to the lungs and delivering oxygen from the lungs to the tissues.
VSAQ-6: What Are Conchae?
Conchae are curved bones in the upper part of the nasal cavity, also known as turbinate bones. There are three types: the inferior, middle, and superior conchae. They act like baffles in an air filter, increasing the surface area inside your nose. This helps to humidify, filter, and warm the air you breathe before it enters your lungs, making sure it’s at the right temperature and free of impurities.
VSAQ-7: Mention Any Two Occupational Respiratory Disorders and Their Causes in Human Beings.
Asbestosis is a lung condition caused by prolonged exposure to asbestos dust, often found in industries that use asbestos. Breathing in these tiny fibers can scar lung tissue, making it hard to breathe.
Coal Worker’s Pneumoconiosis, also known as Black Lung Disease, affects those who work in coal mines. Prolonged exposure to coal dust causes particles to accumulate in the lungs, leading to inflammation and scarring, which impairs lung function.