The Human
Respiratory
System
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
❑ responsible for performing the task of
getting oxygen into the body and
removing carbon dioxide out of the body
What are the
differences between
Respiration
and
Breathing?
Respiration Breathing
• Takes place in every
• Takes place in the
living cell
lungs
• A process that • A process of gaseous
involves the release exchange – taking air
of energy from food in and out of the body
• Uses the oxygen • Removes the carbon
during breathing dioxide produced
during respiration
Concept Map: Human Respiratory System
Bronchi
Bronchioles
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
- Refers to those organs of the body that is used for
breathing
Air enters the upper respiratory
system
through the nose or mouth and is
transported by way of the pharynx
(throat) .
Larynx (voice box) and
Trachea (windpipe), through the
Two bronchial tubes to the lungs.
NOSE
❑ This is where the oxygen first enters your
body and also where carbon dioxide
leaves.
❑ When the air comes into your nose, it gets
filtered by tiny hairs and it is moistened by
the mucus that is in your nose.
❑ sinuses also help out with your
respiratory system. They help to moisten
and warms the air that you breath.
PHARYNX
❑ pharynx (throat) gathers air after it passes
through your nose and then the air is passed
down to your trachea (windpipe).
❑ divides into 2 passageways:
✓ 1st – leads to the esophagus (digestive
system)
✓ 2nd – leads air to the larynx (respiratory
system)
Mouth
Trachea
LARYNX
❑ keeps food & air in the proper path with
the help of epiglottis
✓ open (breath) – permitting air to enter
the respiratory system
✓ close (swallow) – food & water are
routed to the digestive system
❑ contains 2 elastic ligaments (vocal cords)
✓ produces voice
❑ supported by curved pieces of cartilage
TRACHEA
❑ also called as
WINDPIPE
❑ made of
rings/bands of
cartilage
❑ contains mucus
that traps dust
particles &
bacteria
BRONCHI
❑ Tubes which carry air from the trachea to
the lungs.
❑ There are 2 main bronchi:
❖ left bronchus (more horizontal)
❖ right bronchus (shorter & wider)
❑ These bronchi tubes split up and get
smaller and smaller inside your lungs.
One bronchus goes to each lung
and then branches out into many
smaller tubes called bronchioles
Bronchi Bronchus Bronchioles
LUNGS
❑ principal organs for
respiration
❑ right lung has 3 lobes
and the left lung has 2
lobes
❑ The two lungs are
separated by a
structure called the
mediastinum.
GAS EXCHANGE
EACH LUNG IS FILLED WITH MANY TINY AIR SPACES
CALLED AIR SACS OR ALVEOLI.
➢ The walls of the alveoli
are the respiratory
surface.
➢ Tiny blood vessels, called
capillaries, are
closely wrapped around
outside.
➢ It is here where the oxygen
diffuses into the blood and
carbon dioxide diffuses
the other way.
MOVEMENT OF ALVEOLI
• Observe the
movement
of the lungs
and the
diaphragm.
When you inhale, the diaphragm is pulled downward, and expands the chest
cavity. The rib cage is also raised. As volume of thorax increased, air is
drawn into the lungs.
Rib cage drops down
When you exhale, the diaphragm relaxes and springs up (returns to its initial
curve position), decreasing the volume of thorax.
As a result, air is forced out of the lungs.
INTERESTING FACTS
❑ Respiratory rate: 10 to 14
inhalations/minute.
❑ In one day, an average human:
❖Breathes 20,000 times
❖Inhales 35 pounds of air
❑ Cigarette contains 4000 different
chemicals.
❑ Each cigarette smoked subtracts about
5 minutes from life expectancy
INTERESTING FACTS
❑ * At rest, the body takes in and breathes out
about 10 liters of air each minute.
❑ * The highest recorded "sneeze speed" is
165 km per hour.
❑ 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
INTERESTING FACT
❑ Our lungs inhale over 2
million liters of air every
day, without even thinking.
They are large enough to
cover a tennis court.
• end
