The Respiratory System

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When you think about it, it is truly a wonder how our body inhales oxygen and exhales carbon dioxide. This is possible because of the respiratory system. This system in the body is what allows us to breathe and continue our lives. An average human breathes fifty million times in their lifetime! The structure affects the function of this intricate and wonderful system that keep us alive. It all starts from the nose. The basic parts of the respiratory system are the lungs, nose, trachea, diaphragm and alveoli. When we inhale, the diaphragm, which is located under the lungs relax which makes the lungs inflate by letting air come through from the outside. We take in air form our noses and our mouths. Little fine hairs in our noses called cilia, filters the air for foreign particles and also wets and warms the air. This is because cold, dry air can irritate the lungs. The warm air then travels down our throat and into the trachea. However, in the throat, there are two passages. One for food and the other for air. A small flap of flesh known as the epiglottis opens and closes to let air pass through but not food. Next, the air passes through the trachea into the lungs. The trachea is one of the most crucial part to the respiratory system. It is lined with 15 to 20 C-shaped cartilage rings so that it doesn’t collapse and block the air passageway. After the warm air passes through the trachea, it goes into the lungs. The lungs have two sides, the left lung and the right lung. The left lung has three lobes and the right lung has two. In these five lobes, there are branches called bronchi and little tubes called bronchioles branch from bronchi and then these bronchioles end in tiny clumps of air sacs known as alveoli. Alveoli is where litt... ... middle of paper ... ...ith pure, clean air. The human body is the most complex and intelligent organism on planet Earth. The organ systems with it are wonderful and breathtaking. One of the most important systems of all is the respiratory, as you have read about, and without it, we would not be able to survive. We will never stop breathing until we die and that, for a fact, is one truly amazing feat. Works Cited "THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM." Respiratory System. MJ Farabee, 18 May 2010. Web. 22 Jan. 2014. "Body Systems." : Respiratory System. Franklin Institute, n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2014. "The Respiratory System." - NHLBI, NIH. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 17 July 2012. Web. 24 Jan. 2014. "Disorders of the Respiratory System." Disorders of the Respiratory System. McGraw Hill, n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2014. Taylor, Tim. "Respiratory System." InnerBody. InnerBody, n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2014.

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