(c) McGraw Hill Ryerson 2007 Natural Fluid Systems Many natural systems are based on fluids and pressures  Weather systems are created and influenced by barometric pressure, measure with a barometer.  Air pressure is measured in kilopascals (kPa) or atmospheres (atm)  Humans are affected by air pressures (breathing) and fluid pressures (the circulatory and respiratory systems)  Water, and water balance, is vital for life  The human body is 66% water, and loses 2.1 L of water daily

(c) McGraw Hill Ryerson 2007 The Circulatory System The circulatory system is one of the most complex hydraulic systems we know  The heart is the pump, and blood vessels are specialized pipes  Blood pressure refers to how hard blood pushes against the walls of your body’s blood vessels  Nerve cells in the arteries monitor blood pressure Your pulse is these waves of pressure Normal resting heart rate is beats per minute

(c) McGraw Hill Ryerson 2007 Disorders of Blood Circulation Blood pressure is a part of normal check-ups, as it is an indicator of overall health  Like in all hydraulic systems, roughness inside of pipes decreases the hydraulic system’s effectiveness  Fatty deposits build up in arteries to slow blood flow  Smoking and obesity also increase blood pressure

(c) McGraw Hill Ryerson 2007 The Respiratory System Breathing is partly based on air pressure changes  Air (and all fluids) normally move from high to low pressure  Inhaling expands the rib cage, increasing volume and decreasing pressure  The diaphragm and rib muscles expand your lungs  Air from outside, which has oxygen in it, enters the low pressure in the lungs  Exhaling is the diaphragm and rib muscles pushing inwards, increasing pressure in the lungs so air leaves  As the air leaves, it takes unwanted carbon dioxide

(c) McGraw Hill Ryerson 2007 Disorders of Breathing Breathing is affected by narrowed passageways, especially swelling from infections and allergies  Smoke, polluted air, coal dust and asbestos are also harmful  Asthma is a respiratory disease that narrows the passageways for air entering and leaving the lungs  Asthma can be triggered by smoke and pollutants, exercise, stress and dust  An inhaler is used to deliver tiny droplets of medicine to the lungs to help passageways open