Simulation · Biology · Class 11
What drives your breathing
From the lesson Regulation of respiration in Breathing and Exchange of Gases. Change the values and watch what happens.
What drives your breathingBiology · Class 11
The idea behind it
NCERT §14.5
- Humans can adjust their breathing rhythm to match the body's demands; the neural system does this.
- This regulation is mainly the job of a specialised centre in the medulla of the brain, called the respiratory rhythm centre.
- The rhythm centre can be moderated by the pneumotaxic centre in the pons. Its signals can reduce how long inspiration lasts, which changes the breathing rate.
- A chemosensitive area next to the rhythm centre is highly sensitive to CO₂ and hydrogen ions. A rise in these activates it, and it signals the rhythm centre to adjust breathing so these substances are removed.
- Receptors associated with the aortic arch and the carotid artery also detect changes in CO₂ and H⁺ concentration and send signals to the rhythm centre.
- Oxygen plays only a very minor part in setting the rhythm of breathing.