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The Respiratory System

Regulation of breathing

  • 3 things to know
  • Component 01

Overview

The respiratory control centre and its inspiratory and expiratory centres, the phrenic and intercostal nerves, chemical control by chemoreceptors and carbon dioxide, neural control by proprioceptors, thermoreceptors and lung stretch receptors, and breath-holding.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

How is breathing controlled at rest, and which nerves carry the impulses?

Key term

Where is the respiratory control centre, and what are its two parts?

Key term

How is breathing controlled at rest?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    Where is the respiratory control centre, and what are its two parts?

    Model answer

    The respiratory control centre (RCC) is in the medulla oblongata. The RCC contains an inspiratory centre and an expiratory centre.

  2. 2

    How is breathing controlled at rest?

    Model answer

    The inspiratory centre sends impulses to the diaphragm and external intercostals, causing inspiration. The impulses then stop, and expiration occurs passively by elastic recoil.

  3. 3

    Which nerves carry impulses to the breathing muscles at rest?

    Model answer

    The phrenic nerve carries impulses to the diaphragm. The intercostal nerves carry impulses to the external intercostals.

  4. 4

    What is meant by chemical control of breathing?

    Model answer

    Chemical control is the adjustment of breathing in response to the chemistry of the blood. Chemoreceptors detect changes in carbon dioxide, oxygen and acidity.

  5. 5

    Where are the chemoreceptors that regulate breathing found?

    Model answer

    Chemoreceptors are found in the medulla oblongata, the aortic arch and the carotid arteries.

  6. 6

    How do chemoreceptors raise ventilation during exercise?

    Model answer

    Chemoreceptors detect the rise in blood carbon dioxide and the fall in pH. The inspiratory centre then increases the rate and depth of breathing.

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