THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

2. FUNCTIONS OF
THE
RESPIRATORY
SYSTEM
• THE HUMAN RESPIRATORY SYSTEM IS A
SERIES OF ORGANS RESPONSIBLE FOR
TAKING IN OXYGEN AND EXPELLING
CARBON DIOXIDE. THE PRIMARY ORGANS
OF THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM ARE LUNGS,
WHICH CARRY OUT THIS EXCHANGE OF
GASES AS WE BREATHE.

3. THE ORGANS
LUNGS LARYNX BRONCHIAL
TUBES
TRACHEA PHARYNX NASAL CAVITY

4. THE LUNGS
• THE MAIN FUNCTION OF THE LUNGS IS THE PROCESS OF GAS
EXCHANGE CALLED RESPIRATION (OR BREATHING). IN RESPIRATION,
OXYGEN FROM INCOMING AIR ENTERS THE BLOOD, AND CARBON
DIOXIDE, A WASTE GAS FROM THE METABOLISM, LEAVES THE BLOOD. A
REDUCED LUNG FUNCTION MEANS THAT THE ABILITY OF LUNGS TO
EXCHANGE GASES IS REDUCED

5. THE
LARYNX
THE LARYNX HOUSES THE VOCAL FOLDS, AND
MANIPULATES PITCH AND VOLUME, WHICH
IS ESSENTIAL FOR PHONATION. IT IS
SITUATED JUST BELOW WHERE THE TRACT OF
THE PHARYNX SPLITS INTO THE TRACHEA
AND THE ESOPHAGUS.

6. THE BRONCHIAL TUBES
WHEN A PERSON BREATHES, AIR COMES IN THROUGH THE NOSE OR
MOUTH AND THEN GOES INTO THE TRACHEA (WINDPIPE). FROM THERE,
IT PASSES THROUGH THE BRONCHIAL TUBES, WHICH ARE IN THE LUNGS.
THESE TUBES LET AIR IN AND OUT OF YOUR LUNGS, SO YOU CAN
BREATHE. THE BRONCHIAL TUBES ARE SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS
BRONCHI OR AIRWAYS.

7. THE TRACHEA
• THE TRACHEA, COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE WINDPIPE, IS A TUBE ABOUT 4 INCHES LONG AND LESS THAN AN INCH IN
DIAMETER IN MOST PEOPLE. THE TRACHEA BEGINS JUST UNDER THE LARYNX (VOICE BOX) AND RUNS DOWN BEHIND THE
BREASTBONE (STERNUM). THE TRACHEA THEN DIVIDES INTO TWO SMALLER TUBES CALLED BRONCHI

8. THE PHARYNX
THE PHARYNX, OR THROAT, IS THE PASSAGEWAY LEADING FROM THE
MOUTH AND NOSE TO THE ESOPHAGUS AND LARYNX.… THE PHARYNX
CONSISTS OF THREE MAIN DIVISIONS. THE ANTERIOR PORTION IS THE
NASAL PHARYNX, THE BACK SECTION OF THE NASAL CAVITY.

10. WHAT A BREATH OF
FRESH AIR