Respiratory Disorders — NEET Biology MCQs with Solutions
Free NEET Biology Respiratory Disorders MCQs with step-by-step solutions (32 questions). Part of Breathing and Exchange of Gases. Practise online on Prepizo — no login needed.
▶ Practise Respiratory Disorders online (free)
Questions with solutions
Q1 — Respiratory Disorders · easy · theory
The occupational disease caused by inhalation of silica dust (e.g. in stone-grinding) leading to lung fibrosis is:
A. Pneumonia
B. Silicosis ✓ Correct
C. Asthma
D. Emphysema
Solution: Silicosis (and asbestosis) are occupational lung fibroses caused by inhaling fine mineral dust.
Q2 — Respiratory Disorders · easy · theory
Difficulty in breathing due to inflammation of the bronchi and bronchioles, with wheezing, is characteristic of:
A. Emphysema
B. Silicosis
C. Asthma ✓ Correct
D. Pleurisy
Solution: Asthma involves spasm/inflammation of the bronchi and bronchioles, causing difficulty in breathing.
Q3 — Respiratory Disorders · medium · theory
In emphysema, the difficulty in breathing arises because:
A. Blood cannot carry O₂
B. The bronchi are blocked by mucus only
C. The alveolar walls are damaged, decreasing the respiratory surface ✓ Correct
D. The diaphragm is paralysed
Solution: Emphysema (major cause: cigarette smoking) destroys alveolar walls, reducing the gas-exchange surface area.
Q4 — Respiratory Disorders · medium · theory
Inhaled particles are trapped and prevented from reaching the lungs mainly by the ______ of the respiratory tract:
A. Alveolar sacs
B. Mucus and ciliated epithelium ✓ Correct
C. Diaphragm
D. Pleural fluid
Solution: The mucus lining and cilia of the conducting passages trap dust/microbes and move them out.
Q5 — Respiratory Disorders · hard · theory
A major cause of emphysema is cigarette smoking; a common cause of occupational respiratory disorders is:
A. Long-term exposure to industrial dust/grinding without protective equipment ✓ Correct
B. Excess exercise
C. Eating too much sugar
D. High altitude living
Solution: Occupational disorders (silicosis, asbestosis) result from chronic exposure to industrial dusts; protective masks reduce risk.
Q6 — Respiratory Disorders · hard · theory
Which statement about asthma versus emphysema is correct?
A. Neither affects breathing
B. Both are caused only by bacteria
C. Asthma damages alveolar walls; emphysema inflames bronchi
D. Asthma is due to inflammation/spasm of airways; emphysema is due to alveolar wall damage ✓ Correct
Solution: Asthma = reversible airway narrowing/inflammation; emphysema = irreversible alveolar destruction (often from smoking).
Q7 — Respiratory Disorders · easy · numerical
Long-term occupational inhalation of asbestos fibres leads to a fibrotic lung disease known as:
A. emphysema
B. asthma
C. asbestosis ✓ Correct
D. silicosis
Solution: Asbestosis is an occupational respiratory disorder caused by chronic exposure to asbestos dust, leading to fibrosis of the lungs.
Q8 — Respiratory Disorders · easy · numerical
The single most important cause of emphysema is:
A. inhalation of silica dust
B. a pollen allergy
C. a bacterial lung infection
D. cigarette smoking ✓ Correct
Solution: Chronic cigarette smoking is the major cause of emphysema, in which the alveolar walls are damaged and the respiratory surface is greatly reduced.
Q9 — Respiratory Disorders · easy · numerical
Occupational respiratory disorders are most common among workers engaged in industries that:
A. generate large amounts of dust, such as grinding and stone-breaking ✓ Correct
B. work mainly in air-conditioned offices
C. handle only liquids and never dust
D. work exclusively underwater
Solution: Prolonged exposure to airborne dust in industries like grinding and stone-breaking causes occupational lung disorders such as silicosis and asbestosis.
Q10 — Respiratory Disorders · easy · numerical
To minimise occupational respiratory disorders, workers in dusty industries are advised to:
A. use protective masks and follow prescribed safety measures ✓ Correct
B. work only at night
C. avoid drinking water during work
D. breathe more rapidly to expel the dust
Solution: Wearing protective masks and observing safety norms limits the amount of dust reaching the lungs, reducing the risk of fibrosis and other disorders.
Q11 — Respiratory Disorders · medium · numerical
Match the respiratory disorder with its causative agent: (i) Asthma (ii) Emphysema (iii) Silicosis (iv) Asbestosis — with (p) silica dust (q) asbestos fibres (r) allergic inflammation of the bronchi (s) chronic cigarette smoking.
A. i-r, ii-s, iii-p, iv-q ✓ Correct
B. i-p, ii-s, iii-r, iv-q
C. i-s, ii-r, iii-p, iv-q
D. i-r, ii-s, iii-q, iv-p
Solution: Asthma results from allergic inflammation of the bronchi, emphysema from chronic smoking, silicosis from silica dust and asbestosis from asbestos fibres.
Q12 — Respiratory Disorders · medium · numerical
Assertion (A): An emphysema patient shows a marked reduction in gas exchange. Reason (R): In emphysema the walls of the alveoli are damaged and broken down, decreasing the respiratory surface area.
A. A is false but R is true
B. A is true but R is false
C. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A ✓ Correct
D. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
Solution: Destruction of alveolar walls in emphysema lowers the total surface available for diffusion, so gas exchange is directly reduced.
Q13 — Respiratory Disorders · medium · numerical
Assertion (A): Silicosis is classified as an occupational respiratory disorder. Reason (R): It results from long-term exposure to silica dust, causing inflammation and fibrosis of the upper part of the lungs.
A. A is false but R is true
B. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A ✓ Correct
C. A is true but R is false
D. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
Solution: Silicosis is an occupational disorder precisely because chronic silica dust exposure causes inflammation leading to fibrosis of the lung tissue.
Q14 — Respiratory Disorders · medium · numerical
Which of the following statements about respiratory disorders is INCORRECT?
A. Occupational respiratory disorders result from chronic exposure to dust
B. Emphysema reduces the respiratory surface area of the lungs
C. Asthma is characterised by wheezing and difficulty in breathing
D. Silicosis and asbestosis are caused by bacterial infection of the lungs ✓ Correct
Solution: Silicosis and asbestosis are caused by inhaled mineral dusts (silica and asbestos), not by bacterial infection; the other three statements are correct.
Q15 — Respiratory Disorders · medium · numerical
In chronic occupational disorders such as silicosis and asbestosis, the inflammation of the lung tissue ultimately leads to:
A. permanent widening of the bronchi
B. a large increase in the number of alveoli
C. proliferation of fibrous connective tissue that lowers respiratory efficiency ✓ Correct
D. excessive secretion of surfactant
Solution: Prolonged dust exposure triggers inflammation followed by fibrosis (proliferation of fibrous tissue), which stiffens the lungs and reduces their efficiency.
Q16 — Respiratory Disorders · medium · numerical
Which respiratory disorder is characterised by reversible narrowing of the airways rather than permanent structural damage to the lung tissue?
A. Emphysema
B. Asthma ✓ Correct
C. Silicosis
D. Asbestosis
Solution: Asthma involves reversible bronchial inflammation and spasm that narrows the airways, whereas emphysema, silicosis and asbestosis involve permanent structural lung damage.
Q17 — Respiratory Disorders · easy
Asthma is caused by:
A. Infection in nose
B. Inflammation of bronchial muscles ✓ Correct
C. Infection of trachea
D. Infections of lungs
Solution: Asthma is difficulty in breathing due to inflammation of the bronchi and bronchioles (bronchial muscles).
Q18 — Respiratory Disorders · easy
One reason for emphysema is:
A. Wine consumption
B. Drug addiction
C. Heavy exercise
D. Cigarette smoking ✓ Correct
Solution: Cigarette smoking is a major cause of emphysema.
Q19 — Respiratory Disorders · medium
Emphysema is characterised by:
A. Spasm of muscles of trachea
B. Inhibition of respiratory centre
C. Permanent enlargement and destruction of alveolar area leading to reduction in respiratory surface ✓ Correct
D. Accumulation of fluid in lungs
Solution: In emphysema the alveolar walls are damaged and destroyed, causing permanent enlargement of air spaces and reduced respiratory surface.
Q20 — Respiratory Disorders · medium
Why do human beings have difficulty breathing at high elevations?
A. O2 makes up a lower percentage of air there
B. The temperature is lower there
C. pO2 is lower there ✓ Correct
D. The barometric pressure is higher there
Solution: At high altitude the barometric pressure is lower, so the partial pressure of oxygen (pO2) is reduced even though the percentage of O2 stays the same.
Q21 — Respiratory Disorders · easy
Which of the following diseases are occupational respiratory disorders?
A. Silicosis, Fibrosis and asbestosis ✓ Correct
B. Asthma and Emphysema
C. Emphysema and mountain sickness
D. Asthma and Hepatitis
Solution: Silicosis, fibrosis and asbestosis result from long-term exposure to occupational dusts and are classic occupational respiratory disorders.
Q22 — Respiratory Disorders · medium
If an injury tore a small hole in the membrane surrounding the lungs, what effect on lung function would you expect?
A. Silicosis with lung collapse
B. Pneumothorax without lung collapse
C. Silicosis without lung collapse
D. Pneumothorax with lung collapse ✓ Correct
Solution: A hole in the pleural membrane lets air into the pleural cavity (pneumothorax), destroying the negative pressure and causing the lung to collapse.
Q23 — Respiratory Disorders · hard
Which one of the following is the correct statement for respiration in humans?
A. About 90 per cent of carbon dioxide (CO2) is carried out by haemoglobin as carbaminohaemoglobin.
B. Neural signals from pneumotaxic centre in pons region of brain can increase the duration of inspiration.
C. Cigarette smoking may lead to inflammation of bronchi.
D. Workers in grinding and stone-breaking industries may suffer from lung fibrosis. ✓ Correct
Solution: Long exposure to dust in grinding and stone-breaking industries causes lung fibrosis; the pneumotaxic centre reduces (not increases) inspiration duration and only ~20-25% CO2 is carried as carbaminohaemoglobin.
Q24 — Respiratory Disorders · medium
Name the pulmonary disease in which alveolar surface area involved in gas exchange is drastically reduced due to damage in the alveolar walls.
A. Emphysema ✓ Correct
B. Pneumonia
C. Asthma
D. Pleurisy
Solution: In emphysema the alveolar walls are damaged, reducing the respiratory surface area available for gas exchange.
Q25 — Respiratory Disorders · medium
Name the chronic respiratory disorder caused mainly by cigarette smoking:
A. Respiratory acidosis
B. Respiratory alkalosis
C. Emphysema ✓ Correct
D. Asthma
Solution: Emphysema is a chronic disorder in which alveolar walls are damaged, and cigarette smoking is its major cause.
Q26 — Respiratory Disorders · easy
Incidence of Emphysema, a respiratory disorder, is high in cigarette smokers. In such cases
A. The bronchioles are found damaged.
B. The alveolar walls are found damaged. ✓ Correct
C. The respiratory muscles are found damaged.
D. The plasma membrane is found damaged.
Solution: In emphysema, alveolar walls are damaged and break down, reducing the surface area for gas exchange.
Q27 — Respiratory Disorders · medium
Assertion (A): Emphysema is a chronic disorder. Reason (R): It is characterized by the inflammation of bronchi and bronchioles.
A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
B. Both A and R are true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A.
C. A is false but R is true.
D. A is true but R is false. ✓ Correct
Solution: Emphysema is a chronic disorder (A true), but it is characterized by damage to alveolar walls, not inflammation of bronchi and bronchioles (R false).
Q28 — Respiratory Disorders · hard
Assertion (A): Occupational respiratory disorders like fibrosis lead to serious lung damage. Reason (R): Fibrosis involves the proliferation of fibrous tissues due to long exposure to dust.
A. Both A and R are true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A.
B. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. ✓ Correct
C. A is false but R is true.
D. A is true but R is false.
Solution: Proliferation of fibrous tissue from long dust exposure is precisely what causes the serious lung damage in fibrosis, so R explains A.
Q29 — Respiratory Disorders · hard
Which statement regarding respiratory disorders is correct?
A. Emphysema is caused by inflammation of bronchi.
B. Occupational disorders are caused by bacterial infections.
C. Cigarette smoking is a major cause of Emphysema. ✓ Correct
D. Asthma is a chronic disorder where alveolar walls are damaged.
Solution: Cigarette smoking is a major cause of emphysema, in which alveolar walls are damaged.
Q30 — Respiratory Disorders · hard
Fibrosis is correctly described as:
A. A disorder caused by cigarette smoking.
B. Difficulty in breathing causing wheezing.
C. Proliferation of fibrous tissues leading to lung damage. ✓ Correct
D. Inflammation of the larynx.
Solution: Fibrosis is the proliferation of fibrous connective tissue leading to lung damage.