Question

(2pts) If a person is breathing at a rate of 10 breaths per minute, and is moving approximately 500 mL of air in and out of the lungs with each breath, what is the minute ventilation value for this individual?

2. (4pts) What is the mechanism of gas exchange between alveoli and pulmonary capillaries? Compare the gas pressures in the pulmonary capillaries to the gas pressures in the alveoli, in a normal person at rest.

3. (4pts) A young woman is snorkeling and (as an observant physiology student) you understand that she must increase her tidal volume and/or her breathing frequency to maintain her alveolar ventilation rate. Why?

4. (2pts) Briefly describe how the respiratory membrane works. What cell types and what forces allow the diffusion of gases across the respiratory membrane?

Answer 1

Minute ventilation of the person

The total volume of air that enter the lungs / minutes is called minute ventilation

It is the tidal volume multiplied by respiratory rate

The volume of air entering into lungs is 500ml as given in the question

Volume of air entering into lungs is equal to the tidal volume = 500ml

Respiratory rate of the patient = 10 b/min

So minute ventilation= tidal volume× respiratory rate

Substituting values,,

Minute ventilation= 500× 10= 5000 ml\ minute

So minute ventilation of this patient is 5000ml/ minutes