The Respiratory System

591 Words2 Pages

The respiratory system is the process responsible for the transportation and exchange of gases into and out of the human body. As we breath in, oxygen in the air containing oxygen is drawn into the lungs through a series of air pipes known as the airway and into the lungs. As air is drawn into the lungs and waste gas excreted, it passes through the airway, first through the mouth or nose and through the pharynx, larynx and windpipe – also known as the trachea. At this point it then enters the lungs through the bronchi before finally reaching the air sacs known as alveoli. Within the lungs, through a process known as diffusion, the oxygen is transferred to the blood stream through the alveoli (air ducts) where it is then transported inside red cells and carried to the body’s organs. At the same time as the oxygen is drawn into the cells, the waste products (carbon dioxide and water) are removed back to the lungs where it is excreted as we breath out.
As air is breathed in, it is moistened, warmed and cleaned by tiny hairs called cilia within the respiratory system. These filter out du...

More about The Respiratory System

Open Document