Human Physiology and Air Flight

Warm-Up Questions CPS Questions 1-2 Chapter 3, Lesson 1

Chapter Overview   Lesson 1: Human Physiology and Air Flight   Lesson 2: Protective Equipment and Aircrew Training Chapter 3, Lesson 1

Lesson Overview  The four zones of the flight environment  The physical laws of gases according to Boyle's law, Dalton's law, and Henry's law  The respiration and circulation processes  The effects on the human body of reduced pressure at high altitude Chapter 3, Lesson 1

Lesson Overview, cont.   The effects on the human body of acceleration and deceleration or increased g-forces   Spatial disorientation and motion sickness   Other stresses of flight operations Chapter 3, Lesson 1

Quick Write What devices and steps do you think could have prevented loss of consciousness? (Note to teacher: Use “Pick a Student” button in CPS) Chapter 3, Lesson 1 Courtesy of USAF/MSgt Kevin J. Gruenwald

Four Zones of the Flight Environment  Troposphere, stratosphere, ionosphere, and exosphere  Most flight takes place in troposphere and stratosphere  Troposphere—largest percentage of atmospheric mass  Passenger airliners will fly above the clouds in the stratosphere to avoid weather Chapter 3, Lesson 1 Reproduced from NASA

Activity 1: The Four Zones of Flight  Describe some characteristics of each flight zone in the chart provided Chapter 3, Lesson 1

Boyle’s Law Physical Laws of Gases According to Boyle’s Law   Boyle’s law—when the pressure of a confined gas increases, its volume decreases; when pressure decreases, volume increases  When an aircraft climbs, the drop in atmospheric pressure causes gases in the human body to expand Chapter 3, Lesson 1

Dalton’s Law  Dalton’s law—the total pressure of a mixture of gases is equal to the sum of the partial pressure that each gas exerts individually  The total pressure that the human body experiences is the sum of the partial pressures exerted on it by oxygen, nitrogen, and trace gases Chapter 3, Lesson 1

Henry’s Law   Henry’s law—the amount of gas dissolved in a volume of liquid is proportional to the pressure of the gas   Bottle filled with carbonated drink; when opened releases pressure, bubbles of gas escape Chapter 3, Lesson 1 © iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Activity 2: Animated Gas Lab - Boyle’s Law  View the Animated Gas Lab at the NASA website  Use the lab to work through the questions Chapter 3, Lesson 1

Learning Check Questions CPS Questions 3-4 Chapter 3, Lesson 1

The Respiration and Circulation Processes   Gases present in the human body that expand and compress depending on pressure affect two physical processes:   Respiration—breathing   Circulation—process of moving blood about the body Chapter 3, Lesson 1

Respiratory System   Main purpose is to take in oxygen and get rid of carbon dioxide   Diaphragm helps the lungs draw in and expel air   Lungs and blood vessels distribute oxygen to the body, retrieve carbon dioxide Chapter 3, Lesson 1 Adapted from National Institutes of Health

Cardiovascular System and Heart   Cardiovascular system’s main functions:   Use blood to carry oxygen from lungs to organs or body tissue   Uses blood to move carbon dioxide from the tissues to the lungs   The heart pumps blood throughout the body Chapter 3, Lesson 1 Adapted from National Institutes of Health

Activity 3: Respiration and Circulation  Identify the part of the body that performs the function and answer the questions Chapter 3, Lesson 1

Human Body and Reduced Pressure at High Altitude  By about 12,000 feet, the partial pressure of oxygen is reduced, interferes with the body’s normal activities and functions  By 18,000 feet, the thinner air means lungs can only draw half as much oxygen Chapter 3, Lesson 1

Ill Effects at Reduced Pressure  Hypoxia—a state of too little oxygen in the body  Hyperventilation—an abnormal increase in the volume of air breathed in and out of the lungs  Trapped gas  Ear block  Sinus block  Altitude-Induced Decompression Sickness Chapter 3, Lesson 1 Courtesy of NASA Kennedy Space Center/NASA

Activity 4: How High Altitude Affects the Body  Match the descriptions with the four ailments associated with high-altitude flight and answer the questions Chapter 3, Lesson 1

Learning Check Questions CPS Questions 5-6

G-Forces  Measure of gravity’s accelerative force  Pilot may experience a combination of linear, radial, and angular acceleration when working with flight controls  Accelerations induce g- forces on the body that scientists refer to as Gx, Gy, and Gz Chapter 3, Lesson 1 Courtesy of USAF/MSgt Kevin J. Gruenwald

The Effects of G-Force  Most hazardous is along the Gz axis  Cardiovascular system has to act quickly to keep blood flowing to the brain  Body tries to counteract +Gz with a harder, faster heartbeat  If the acceleration is as rapid as 1 G per second, unconsciousness can hit without any visual warning Chapter 3, Lesson 1

The Effects of G-Force, cont.  More dangerous is the foot-to- head -Gz; pilot pushes into a dive, blood can’t flow back down through the veins into the heart  Pilot may experience red out; the next phase is loss of consciousness  Fighter pilots and astronauts wear the g-suit, protects pilots from the effects of g-forces Chapter 3, Lesson 1 Courtesy of US Air Force

Chapter 3, Lesson 1 Learning Check Questions CPS Questions 7-8

Spatial Disorientation  Spatial disorientation—lack of knowing an aircraft’s position, attitude, and movement  Visual system  Vestibular system  Somatosensory system  Flying conditions can sometimes confuse the three systems Chapter 3, Lesson 1 Reproduced from US Department of Transportation/Federal Aviation Administration

Motion Sickness  A product of the brain receiving conflicting messages about the body’s true position  Symptoms include nausea, dizziness, paleness, sweating, and vomiting Chapter 3, Lesson 1

Other Stresses of Flight Operations  Smoking tobacco: raises the concentration of carbon monoxide in blood  Alcohol: can affect coordination, limit vision, impact memory, reduce reasoning power, slow reflexes, and lower attention span  Drugs: side effects such as loss of balance and nausea Chapter 3, Lesson 1

Activity 5: Human Physiology and Air Flight  Create a presentation on one of the topics related to human physiology and air flight  Conduct and investigate research using the sources identified Chapter 3, Lesson 1

Learning Check Questions CPS Questions 9-10

Summary Chapter 3, Lesson 1  The four zones of the flight environment  The physical laws of gases according to Boyle's law, Dalton's law, and Henry's law  The respiration and circulation processes  The effects on the human body of reduced pressure at high altitude

Summary, cont.   The effects on the human body of acceleration and deceleration or increased g-forces   Spatial disorientation and motion sickness   Other stresses of flight operations Chapter 3, Lesson 1

Review Questions CPS Questions 11-12

Next….  Done – human physiology and air flight  Next – protective equipment and aircrew training Chapter 3, Lesson 1 Courtesy of U. S. Air Force/Staff Sgt. Brian Ferguson