Mom needs help on 7th grade Science homework!!!?

Question

My daughter forgot to bring her book home...

The rate of breathing is controled by the medulla oblongata. Explain how the medulla reacts to the amount of carbon dioxide in the blood.

**this is what i have found on the internet...could someone please tell me if this is right?

your medulla detects the amount of carbon dioxide in your blood and increases or decreases your respirations depending on the levels it detects.???

Answer 1

Yes.

In other words, when your body detects that there is more carbon dioxide in your blood than normal, it increases the rate of breathing.  So, when you run, you begin to breathe harder.

Answer 2

Accroding ti the web site i just checked on it is supposed to be correct!

GOOD LUCK

ps. RON weasley RULES

Answer 3

Have you tried checking the child's text book?

Ventilatory rate (minute volume) is tightly controlled and determined primarily by blood levels of carbon dioxide as determined by metabolic rate. Blood levels of oxygen become important in hypoxia. These levels are sensed by chemoreceptors in the medulla oblongata for pH, and the carotid and aortic bodies for oxygen and carbon dioxide. Afferent neurons from the carotid bodies and aortic bodies are via the glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX) and the vagus nerve (CN X), respectively.

Levels of CO2 rise in the blood when the metabolic use of O2 is increased beyond the capacity of the lungs to expel CO2. CO2 is stored largly in the blood as bicarbonate (HCO3-) ions, by conversion first to carbonic acid (H2CO3), by the enzyme carbonic anhydrase, and then by disassociation of this acid to H+ and HCO3-. Build-up of CO2 therefore causes an equivalent build-up of the disassociated hydrogen ion, which, by definition, decreases the pH of the blood.

During moderate exercise, ventilation increases in proportion to metabolic production of carbon dioxide. During strenuous exercise, ventilation increases more than needed to compensate for carbon dioxide production. Lactic acid produced during anaerobic metabolism lowers pH and thus increases breathing. In aerobic metabolism, one molecule of acid (CO2) is produced in order to produce 6 molecules of the energy carrier ATP, whereas in anaerobic metabolism, 6 molecules of lactic acid are produced to provide the same amount of energy.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_of_...

Mechanical stimulation of the lungs can trigger certain reflexes as discovered in animal studies. In humans, these seem to be more important in neonates and ventilated patients, but of little relevance in health. The tone of respiratory muscle is believed to be modulated by muscle spindles via a reflex arc involving the spinal cord.

Drugs can greatly influence the control of respiration. Opioids and anaesthetic drugs tend to depress ventilation, especially with regards to Carbon Dioxide response. Stimulants such as Amphetamines can cause hyperventilation.

Pregnancy tends to increase ventilation (lowering plasma carbon dioxide tension below normal values). This is due to increased progesterone levels and results in enhanced gas exchange in the placenta. Ventilation is temporarily modified by voluntary acts and complex reflexes such as sneezing, coughing and vomiting.

There is a lot more information in the article.

Check out the article's source pages too!

Answer 4

This is another good resource web site I have stumbled on.  No it is not Yahoo answers as some assume when they see the address....

It is a free dictionary (with pronunciation "sound") encyclopedia etc.

Have a look there too.  Hope it helps.

:-)

Answer 5

"Chemicals in the body such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen ion concentrations greatly influence respiration. Each chemical is required in certain amounts in the body and any deviation from the baseline level will change the rate, depth, or rhythm of respiration. Chemical changes are monitored by chemoreceptors located in the medulla oblongata as well as the carotid arteries and the aortic arch. For example, excess carbon dioxide in the blood, a condition called hypercapnia, is accompanied by a decrease in pH and can be sensed by chemoreceptive areas in the medulla oblongata. The medulla oblongata responds by increasing the rate and depth of respiration, called hyperventilation, to expel the excessive carbon dioxide during expiration and return the pH levels to normal. Conversely, if levels of carbon dioxide and hydrogen ions fall below the baseline level, hypocapnia may result. Hypocapnia occurs when carbon dioxide falls below its baseline level of 40 mm Hg in the blood and results in slow, shallow breathing called hypoventilation. Likewise, when oxygen levels are low and carbon dioxide and pH remain normal, ventilation will increase until oxygen levels return to normal. However, if oxygen levels fall lower than 50 mm Hg in the blood, tissues become starved for oxygen and impulses are not sent to the respiratory area. Thus, respiration is not increased and eventually the person may stop breathing."