NU606 EXAM
NU606 EXAM 1 PULMONARY (2025/2026)
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What are the alterations in lung volumes seen in restrictive lung disease? - Decreased
FRC, Decreased TLC, Decreased FVC
What is the primary function of the pulmonary system? - Exchange of gases in the
environment and in the blood.
What are the 3 steps involved in the pulmonary system? - Ventilation, Diffusion, and
Perfusion.
What is ventilation? - Movement of air into and out of the lungs.
What is diffusion? - Movement of gases between the air spaces in the lungs and the
bloodstream.
What is perfusion? - Movement of blood into and out of capillary beds of the lungs to the
body organs and tissues.
What structures are included in the pulmonary system? - 2 lungs, upper and lower
airways, and the blood vessels that serve them; the chest wall (thoracic cage) and the
diaphragm.
What is the function of the cilia mucosa in the upper airways? - To warm, humidify, and
remove foreign particles from the air.
NU606 EXAM
,NU606 EXAM
What happens when someone breathes through their mouth instead of their nose? - The
warming, humidifying, and particle removal functions of the upper airways are less
effective.
What happens to the internal muscles of the larynx during swallowing? - They contract to
prevent aspiration into the trachea and contribute to the pitch of a person's voice.
What is the mediastinum? - The space between the lungs that contains the heart, great
vessels, and esophagus.
What connects the larynx to the bronchi? - The trachea.
Why do aspirated particles typically enter the right lung rather than the left? - Because
the right lung is slightly larger and wider.
What do the bronchi branch into? - Bronchioles.
How many lobes are in the right lung? - 3 (upper, middle, lower).
How many lobes are in the left lung? - 2 (upper, lower).
How are the lungs protected? - By a series of mechanical and cellular defenses.
Why are the lungs not sterile? - There are microbes that survive in the lungs environment
and make up the lung microbiome.
What has been noted to cause changes in the lungs microbiome? - Tobacco smoking, long
term steroid use, and disease processes (like COPD, Cystic Fibrosis).
NU606 EXAM
, NU606 EXAM
What is the function of ciliated epithelial cells in the bronchioles? - To move mucus
towards the trachea and pharynx for expectoration or swallowing. Continuous bases.
Where are the alveoli located? - At the base of the airway, where gas exchange occurs.
How many alveoli are present at birth?
Adulthood? - About 50 million.
Increases to 150 million.
What are the two types of alveolar cells? - Type 1 (provides structure) and Type 2
(secretes surfactant).
What are alveolar cells? - Cells that provide structure and secrete surfactant.
What is the function of surfactant secreted by alveolar cells? - To help with lung
expansion, prevent atelectasis, control inflammation, prevent oxidative injury, regulate
fibroblasts in airway remodeling, and have bacteriostatic properties.
What is the most common symptom in pulmonary and cardiac disease? - Dyspnea. -
Subjective (pts perception of a feeling of uncomfortable breathing).
What is hypoventilation? - CO2 removal slower than CO2 production, so incr PaCO2
(hypercapnia).
What is hyperventilation? - Removing CO2 quicker than produces, so decr PaCO2
(hypocapnia).
NU606 EXAM
NU606 EXAM 1 PULMONARY (2025/2026)
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What are the alterations in lung volumes seen in restrictive lung disease? - Decreased
FRC, Decreased TLC, Decreased FVC
What is the primary function of the pulmonary system? - Exchange of gases in the
environment and in the blood.
What are the 3 steps involved in the pulmonary system? - Ventilation, Diffusion, and
Perfusion.
What is ventilation? - Movement of air into and out of the lungs.
What is diffusion? - Movement of gases between the air spaces in the lungs and the
bloodstream.
What is perfusion? - Movement of blood into and out of capillary beds of the lungs to the
body organs and tissues.
What structures are included in the pulmonary system? - 2 lungs, upper and lower
airways, and the blood vessels that serve them; the chest wall (thoracic cage) and the
diaphragm.
What is the function of the cilia mucosa in the upper airways? - To warm, humidify, and
remove foreign particles from the air.
NU606 EXAM
,NU606 EXAM
What happens when someone breathes through their mouth instead of their nose? - The
warming, humidifying, and particle removal functions of the upper airways are less
effective.
What happens to the internal muscles of the larynx during swallowing? - They contract to
prevent aspiration into the trachea and contribute to the pitch of a person's voice.
What is the mediastinum? - The space between the lungs that contains the heart, great
vessels, and esophagus.
What connects the larynx to the bronchi? - The trachea.
Why do aspirated particles typically enter the right lung rather than the left? - Because
the right lung is slightly larger and wider.
What do the bronchi branch into? - Bronchioles.
How many lobes are in the right lung? - 3 (upper, middle, lower).
How many lobes are in the left lung? - 2 (upper, lower).
How are the lungs protected? - By a series of mechanical and cellular defenses.
Why are the lungs not sterile? - There are microbes that survive in the lungs environment
and make up the lung microbiome.
What has been noted to cause changes in the lungs microbiome? - Tobacco smoking, long
term steroid use, and disease processes (like COPD, Cystic Fibrosis).
NU606 EXAM
, NU606 EXAM
What is the function of ciliated epithelial cells in the bronchioles? - To move mucus
towards the trachea and pharynx for expectoration or swallowing. Continuous bases.
Where are the alveoli located? - At the base of the airway, where gas exchange occurs.
How many alveoli are present at birth?
Adulthood? - About 50 million.
Increases to 150 million.
What are the two types of alveolar cells? - Type 1 (provides structure) and Type 2
(secretes surfactant).
What are alveolar cells? - Cells that provide structure and secrete surfactant.
What is the function of surfactant secreted by alveolar cells? - To help with lung
expansion, prevent atelectasis, control inflammation, prevent oxidative injury, regulate
fibroblasts in airway remodeling, and have bacteriostatic properties.
What is the most common symptom in pulmonary and cardiac disease? - Dyspnea. -
Subjective (pts perception of a feeling of uncomfortable breathing).
What is hypoventilation? - CO2 removal slower than CO2 production, so incr PaCO2
(hypercapnia).
What is hyperventilation? - Removing CO2 quicker than produces, so decr PaCO2
(hypocapnia).
NU606 EXAM
