Answers Updated 2026
WhatAisAdiffusion?A-AAnswer✓AMovementAofAmoleculesAfromAhighAtoAlowAconcentration
WhereAdoesAgasAexchangeAoccur?A-AAnswer✓Aalveolar-capillaryAmembrane
4ACausesAofApoorAdiffusionAatAtheAalveolar-capillaryAmembraneA-
AAnswer✓A1.ADamageA(Atelectasis)
2.ACoveredAwithAfluid(Pneumonia/ARDS)
3.AInsufficientAinflation(hypoventilation/poorAinspiratoryAmaneuvers)
4.Aoverstretched(HighAPplat)
WhyAdoAweAneedAtoAventilateAproperly?A-
AAnswer✓AToAregulateAandAmaintainAappropriateAamountsAofACO2
Co2AregulationAsecondAbyAsecondA-AAnswer✓ACarbonicAacidAbufferAsystem
WhatAmechanismsAproduceACO2?A-AAnswer✓AAerobicAandAanaerobicAmetabolism
WhatAmechanismsAregulateACO2?A-AAnswer✓A1.ABeingAinAanAaerobicAstate
2.ABloodAflowAtoAlungs
3.AProperAdiffusion
4.AappropriateAminuteAventilation
PaCO2AforAhypoventilationA-AAnswer✓AAboveA45AmmHg
PaCO2AforAhyperventilationA-AAnswer✓ALessAthanA35AmmHg
ForAeveryAchangeAinACO2AbyA10AmmHg,AyouAwillAhaveAaAcorrespondingAchangeAinApHAbyA
_____AinAtheAoppositeAdirectionA-AAnswer✓A0.08
, WillAtheAPaCO2AorAETCO2AbeAhigher?AandAbyAhowAmuch?A-
AAnswer✓APaCO2AwillAalwaysAbeAhigherAbyA3-5AmmHg.
HowAmuchAfasterAdoesACO2AdiffuseAthanAO2?A-
AAnswer✓ACO2AdiffusesAatAaArateA20xAfasterAthanAO2
PAO2A-AAnswer✓APartialAPressureAofAoxygenAinAtheAalveoli
PaO2A-AAnswer✓ApartialApressureAofAoxygenAinAtheAarterialAsystem
SaO2A-AAnswer✓AAmountAofAoxygenAsaturatedAonAhemoglobin
Oxygen/hemoglobinAdisassociationAcurve-ARightAshiftA-AAnswer✓ALessAHb-
O2Aaffinity.AGiveAoxygenAtoAtheAtissue.AEverythingAraises(H+,ACO2,APaO2,Atemp,A2,3ABPG).
Ex.AathletesAthatAtrainAatAhighAaltitudesAwillAhaveAaAlowerASpO2AandAhigherAthanAnormal
APaO2.
oxygen-hemoglobinAdissociationAcurve-ALeftAshiftA-AAnswer✓AMoreAHb-
O2Aaffinity.ATissueAisAleftAbehind.AEverythingAdropsA(H+,ACO2,APaO2,Atemp,A2,3BPG)
Ex.AmetabolicAalkalosis,Ahypothermia,AandAmassiveAtransfusionsAofAPRBC's.
WhatAisA2,3DPG?A(TheAcrowbar)A-
AAnswer✓AAAmoleculeAresponsibleAforAreleasingAO2AfromAtheAHgb.
Graham'sALawA-
AAnswer✓ADiffusionAwillAhappenAfasterAifAtheAgasAisAthinnerAandAslowerAifAtheAgasAisAt
hicker.
Ex.AOxygenAisAthin,ANitrogenAisAthick.AOxygenAdiffusesAwhileAnitrogenAactsAasAaAcushionAi
nAtheAalveoliAtoAkeepAitAinflated.
IsAoxygenAorAnitrogenAthinner?A-AAnswer✓AOxygenAisAthinnerAthanAnitrogen