Peak Performance - Gas exchange - Partial pressures
6 important questions on Peak Performance - Gas exchange - Partial pressures
What is partial pressure of a gas?
The partial pressure is the rate of diffusion of that gas as a consequence of its pressure.
What is Henry's law in relation to partial pressure?
The greater the solubility of a gas, the lower its partial pressure.
(pCO2 < pO2 due to CO2 having a greater solubility).
What drives the diffusion of gases from the alveoli to the blood capillaries?
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What is the relevance of partial pressures in the gas phase and in the dissolved phase?
pO2 > gas phase vs dissolved phase = diffusion from alveoli into blood capillaries.
For CO2:
pCO2 > dissolved phase vs gas phase = diffusion from blood capillaries into the alveoli.
What is the relevance of the vapour pressure of water?
The partial pressure of water on the surfaces of the respiratory passageways is 47mmHg. Therefore water diffuses into the air until equilibrium is reached i.e. the air is humidified.
Why does air need to be humidified before it enters the lungs?
Effective gas exchange needs a moist surface to ensure that the alveoli expand properly- moist surface is provided by the humidified air.
Humidified air ensures that the pressure in the lung is sufficient for inflation- dry air may mean that the lungs cannot inflate properly.
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