Respiratory System

Job of the Respiratory System Get Oxygen into the body Get waste gases out of the body Transports gases to and from the circulatory system

Breathing AKA Respiration It is a vital function for living organisms. When we breathe we inhale oxygen exhale carbon dioxide.

The Path of Air Outside to the Nose Pharynx Trachea Bronchus Lung

The nose will do 3 things to the air we breathe Filter the air Warm the air Provide moisture to the air

Process of Breathing The diaphragm is a large dome shaped muscle at the base of the lungs It helps pump the carbon dioxide out of the lungs and pull the oxygen into the lungs as it contracts and relaxes When the diaphragm contracts, oxygen is pulled into the lungs When the diaphragm relaxes, carbon dioxide is pumped out of the lungs

Fun Facts about the Respiratory System The right lung in humans is larger than the left lung in order to accommodate the heart The average person breathes in the equivalent of 13 pints of air each minute. People yawn because the brain detects low levels of oxygen in the lungs and triggers the response so the body will intake a large amount of oxygen. Hiccups are caused by several things, and are the product of spasms, or sudden movements, in the diaphragm. Eating too fast is one common cause of hiccups When an irritant such as dust particles come in contact with mucous membranes in the nose, the body gets rid of them by triggering a sneeze. A human sneeze travels quickly. The fasted sneeze on record was 102 miles per hour in speed. When a human coughs, the droplets that comes out can travel a distance of up to three feet. We exhale about half a liter of water vapor in a whole day.