The respiratory system
Organs of the respiratory system
- The respiratory system provides oxygen to the body.
- The parts include :
- The nostrils and mouth- work to bring in oxygen
- Trachea- It is the windpipe
- Bronchi- 2 are located in the body that attatch to both lungs
- Lungs- the main organ where everything goes down and when red blood cells carry the oxygen to cells
- Esophagus- The tube that takes in both air, food, and liquids
- Alveolus- A tiny sac where the gas is exchanged
- Diaphragm- A muscle that extends across the ribcage
Gas exchange is the process when the oxygen you breath in is diffused/inhaled into the blood and carbon dioxide is taken from the blood and exhaled out through the lungs.
The Lungs
The lungs are a pair of spongy-like, air-filled organs located on either side of the chest.
Fun facts
- The right lung is slightly larger than the left.
- Hairs in the nose help to clean the air we breathe as well as warming it.
- The highest recorded "sneeze speed" is 165 km per hour.
- The surface area of the lungs is roughly the same size as a tennis court.
- The capillaries in the lungs would extend 1,600 kilometers if placed end to end.
- We lose half a liter of water a day through breathing. This is the water vapor we see when we breathe onto glass.
- A person at rest usually breathes between 12 and 15 times a minute.
- The breathing rate is faster in children and women than in men.