C5 - Responses of the respiratory system on exercise

Acute = immediate Chronic = relatively quickly

• Increased breathing rate • Increased tidal volume

• Short-term • Exercise requires deeper breathing due to the high demand for oxygen at the working muscles • Capillary network in and around the alveoli vasodilates increasing blood flow to the lungs as well as the working muscles • Maximal exercise = increased breathing rate • Constant exercise = plateau in rate and depth of breathing • After exercise = reduced breathing rate sharply to normal levels

• ‘anticipatory rate’ • Before starting exercise that leads to slight increase in breathing rate

• Short-term • During exercise = increased to allow more air to pass into and out of the lungs • Oxygen is depleted from the body during exercise, triggering an increase in tidal volume • Intense exercise = oxygen diffusion/ gaseous exchange can increase by 3 or 4 times

• Increased vital capacity • Increased strength of respiratory muscles • Increased diffusion rate

• Increases as a result of long-term physical training to provide and increase more efficient supply to oxygen to working muscles

• diaphragm and intercostal muscles increase in strength, allowing for greater expansion of the chest cavity • making it easier to take deep breaths as the stronger more pliable muscles allow the chest to expand to a larger size

• respiratory systems adapts to regular training, allowing oxygen and carbon dioxide to diffuse more rapidly • increased in size and number of capillaries in and around the alveoli • more oxygen can diffused and at a quicker rate • increase in diffusion rates within tissues means that you can train longer and harder • This is because your muscles will be supplied with more oxygen and the increased carbon dioxide will be removed more quickly