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Respiratory System
Powered by breathing muscles the respiratory tract carries air into and out of the lungs, during inhalation oxygen is absorbed by the body from the air, during exhalation carbon dioxide waste is expelled from the body into the air. Vocalisation is a secondary function of the respiratory system.
This respiratory system in close conjunction with the circulatory system is responsible for supplying all body cells with essential oxygen as well as removing carbon dioxide from the body.
Inhaled air enters the lungs from the trachea which branch’s at its base into two main airways (the primary bronchi) Each of which enters its lung at a site known as the hilium, the area where the main blood vessels pass into and out of the respective lung.
The ‘primary bronchi’ further divides and becomes ‘secondary bronchi’ which then divides further into ‘tertiary bronchi’. Numerous divisions occur from this point which continually decrease in diameter eventually forming the narrowest airways; The terminal and then the respiratory bronchioles which distribute air to the alveoli.
Alveoli -
Oxygen passes into the bloodstream via the alveoli by diffusion while carbon dioxide passes out of the body through the alveoli by diffusion. There are more than 300 million alveoli per lung which provides a huge surface area to facilitate the gas exchange.