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Overview - The Respiratory System
The purpose of the respiratory system is to allow gas exchange. Oxygen is taken in to the body through the lungs carried to all the cells in the body (via The Circulatory System). Carbon dioxide (a waste product from Cellular Respiration) is released from the body through the lungs.
The Parts
Lungs
The lungs are the parts of the human body where oxygen is taken in and carbon dioxide is released.
The lungs are the total of the bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli, and the capillaries that serve them.
Diaphragm
The diaphragm is the muscle that is responsible for changing the air pressure inside the chest cavity.
See The Lung Machine -- How the Lungs Work for details.
Nose
The nose is the primary place where air is taken into the body.
The nasal cavity warms and filters the air that is taken in.
The nasal cavity is able to filter the air through a mucous membrane (which lets junk stick to it so it cannot go any further) and cilia, which trap junk and move it toward the nostrils.
Pharynx
The pharynx is the space at the back of the mouth.
The pharynx is a common area between the Respiratory System and the Digestive System.
This is why we can breath through our nose and our mouth.
Larynx
The larynx is the home of the vocal chords.
The larynx is also called the "voice box."
The larynx is made from flaps of tissue which change the sound of the flow of air through them. This results in our voice.
Trachea
The tube that connects the nose to the lungs.
The trachea is protected by the epiglottis.
The epiglottis is a flap of cartilage that covers the trachea when we eat food.
The trachea is covered by a mucous membrane and cilia which filter out junk from the air going to the lungs.
The cilia beat up, pushing the junk away from the lungs.
Bronchi
The bronchi (singular: bronchus) are the two tubes that branch off from the trachea.
They connect the trachea to the broncioles and alveoli, so that gases can be exchanged there.
Bronchioles
The bronchioles are the increasingly smaller branches of the bronchi.
The bronchioles get smaller and smaller until they connect with the alveoli.
Alveoli
The alveoli are the tiny, tiny air sacs where gas exchange actually takes place in the lungs.
The alveoli are surrounded by capillaries.
The alveoli are one way the lungs can have a really big Surface Area to Volume Ratio.
The alveoli are able to exchange gases because of Diffusion.
Next: The Lung Machine -- How the Lungs Work
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