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All 12 Flashcards — Emphysema and lung disease
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Question
What is emphysema?
Answer
A lung disease in which the **walls between alveoli are destroyed**, so the sacs merge into **fewer, larger** spaces with a much smaller surface area for gas exchange.
Question
What is the DIRECT effect of alveolar destruction in emphysema?
Answer
A **reduced surface area** for gas exchange.
Question
Why does emphysema slow oxygen uptake into the blood?
Answer
Less surface area (and a longer / damaged diffusion path) means oxygen diffuses into the blood **more slowly**.
Question
What is elastic recoil, and what happens to it in emphysema?
Answer
Elastic recoil lets the lung spring back to push air out. In emphysema it is **lost**, so air is **trapped** and exhaling is hard.
Question
Name the TWO ways emphysema impairs gas exchange.
Answer
It **reduces the surface area** (fewer, larger sacs) AND it **loses elastic recoil** (air is trapped).
Question
How does emphysema affect a person during exercise?
Answer
They cannot raise oxygen uptake enough to meet demand, so they become **breathless**, tire quickly and have **limited exercise** capacity.
Question
What is the main cause of emphysema?
Answer
**Smoking** (cigarette smoke); **air pollution** also contributes.
Question
What national change would most reduce emphysema incidence?
Answer
**Reducing smoking** (anti-smoking laws, stop-smoking support) and **cutting air pollution**.
Question
Why is a large surface area important for gas exchange?
Answer
A larger surface area lets **more oxygen diffuse per breath** — emphysema reduces it, so gas exchange slows.
Question
In emphysema, do the alveoli become smaller or larger?
Answer
**Larger** — small sacs merge into fewer, larger spaces (so there is less surface area).
Question
Define alveolus.
Answer
A tiny **air sac** in the lung where gas exchange occurs; its wall is one cell thick, and millions give a large surface area.
Question
Memory hook for emphysema?
Answer
'**Fewer, bigger, slower**' — fewer, bigger air sacs make gas exchange slower.
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Full study notes for Emphysema and lung disease
Topic 2.6 hub
Gas exchange
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