PHYSIOL 201 Lecture Notes - Lecture 19: Functional Residual Capacity, Vital Capacity, Nostril
Document Summary
The whole process of respiration is move oxygen from the atmosphere and into close proximity to our cells and then release co2. So we have bulk flow exchange between the atmosphere and the lungs. Diffusion processes are involved in the exchange of o2/co2 between the airs in the lung and the blood (which will be discussed after the break) In the tissue, the oxygen/co2 exchange is opposite because the tissues are using up oxygen and making co2 so we have diffusion again with oxygen going into the tissue and co2 out of the tissue. So deoxygenated blood (meaning it is lower in oxygen) will return to the right side of the heart and pump into the pulmonary circulation. Venous blood is anything after it has passed through the tissues prior to it picking up oxygen in the lungs. Because co2 is basically an acid, the respiratory system is also useful for acid-base balance.
