The respiratory system is responsible for taking

air into the body as we breathe. The parts of the

respiratory system are the nose, windpipe, lungs
and diaphragm. Air enters the body through the
nose or mouth, then travels down the windpipe or
trachea into the lungs. In the lungs, the air goes
into air sacs called alveoli. The alveoli are at the
end of the tiny air tubes. As blood passes through
the lungs, it gives out carbon dioxide and takes in
oxygen. The respiratory system works along with
the circulatory system during respiration.

The dome shape muscle used in breathing is

called the diaphragm. It is located at the bottom
of the lungs. When we inhale or breathe in, the
diaphragm contracts or tightens and moves
downward. When we exhale or breathe out, the
diaphragm relaxes and moves upward.
 Introduction: Respiratory System

To function, the cells in your body need oxygen.

The respiratory system is responsible for supplying
this element to the blood, which distributes it to
all the tissues of your body. However, due to cell
metabolism (a set of chemical and biological
changes), a gaseous compound called carbon dioxide
is formed in the body, which is useless and very
toxic, so it must be eliminated, a function that is
also fulfilled by this system.

Structure

The respiratory system is mainly made up of

two large sections:

The respiratory tract, that is, the set of

structures formed by the nasal cavity, pharynx,
larynx, trachea, bronchi and smaller subdivisions.
This section is responsible for allowing air to enter
the respiratory surfaces;

The pulmonary apparatus, where the gaseous

exchanges between the ambient air and the blood
take place.

The Nasal Fossae

 Air must travel a long way through your body to
complete the breathing process. The first part of
the path is formed by the nostrils, with two pairs
of openings, one at the front and the other at the
back. The former are located in the nose, and are
kept in contact with the outside. The second, called
choanae, communicate with the interior.

The walls of the nostrils are covered by a

mucous membrane, called pituitary, which has three
protuberances, known as turbinates. When the air
passes through this sector, it is warmed by the
large mucous surface of the nasal septum and
turbinates, continuing its heating during its
passage through the airways until it reaches the
bronchi, with an adequate temperature that does
not produce any type of harmful effect.

In case you didn't know, the air you breathe in

carries a large amount of dust particles. The hairs
inside the nose are only able to stop the larger
ones. The dust is eliminated thanks to the combined
action of the vibratile cilia - hairs that act like
eyelashes - and the mucus that accumulates in that
area.
 The Pharynx

Following the nasal cavities is the pharynx,

which has the characteristic of being a segment
common to the respiratory system and the
digestive system. It extends from the base of the
skull to the sixth cervical vertebra. It is 13
centimeters long and is divided into three parts:
nasal portion or rhinopharynx; buccal portion or
oropharynx; and laryngeal portion or
laryngopharynx.

The oropharynx is limited above by the palate

and below by the upper edge of the epiglottis,
which is a cartilage that covers the opening of the
larynx when you eat, thus preventing food from
entering the trachea. It contains the palatine
tonsils, and they are often victims of inflammation,
which we know as tonsillitis. The pharynx is lined by
a mucous layer that is responsible for trapping dust
particles that reach this place, which are expelled
through coughing or, in the worst case, swallowed.

The Larynx

The larynx is the main responsible for others to

hear your words. It is composed of many
cartilaginous pieces, and is located between the
root of the tongue and the trachea. In addition, it
contains the four vocal cords that help you speak;
two are called false cords, and the other two are
called true cords, since they are the ones that
actually intervene in the emission of the voice.

The larynx is a mobile organ, since it moves with

phonation, voice and swallowing. And it is during the
latter that it acquires greater mobility; it is
carried upward and forward in its entirety, moving
the glottis away from the passage of food, which
drains down the sides of the epiglottis avoiding the
penetration of food into the trachea.

Conclusion

The Breathing Process

Our body cannot store oxygen, so it is essential

to breathe day and night to move air in and out of
the lungs. The speed and depth of breathing is a
relative thing, which is controlled -specifically- by
involuntary processes in the brain stem. As we told
you before, this process is absolutely automatic
and involuntary, to the point of being able to adapt
to the needs of your organism.
 The action of breathing consists of
transporting air to the lungs so that the blood is
nourished with oxygen and purified, and then
expelling carbon dioxide from the body. Every time
you breathe, two movements take place that you
already know: inspiration and expiration; that is to
say, the air enters and exits. During this stage,
more than half a liter of air is exchanged.