The Respiratory System In The Human Body

The airways, the lungs, the blood vessels and the muscles attached to them make up the respiratory system in the human body. All of these work together in the respiratory system to make sure an individual can breathe.Its function is to supply oxygen to everywhere in the human body. It does this through breathing because when a person breathes they breath in (inhale) oxygen rich-air and after that breathes out (exhale) carbon dioxide filled air. The airways in the respiratory system incorporate the nose, mouth, voice box, windpipe and bronchial tubes.

Breathing should happen to begin at the nose and mouth in every human. When an individual inhales air into the nose and mouth, the air then travels downwards in the back of the throat into the

The fluid lets the lungs slip nicely over the thoracic wall throughout respiration. The surface tension of the pleural fluid (which keeps the surface of the lungs in contact with the chest wall) means the membranes are split up.

Alveoli - air sacs at the end of the bronchioles and creates a massive surface area for gaseous exchange to take place. Capillaries neighbour the alveoli and diffusion throughout the respiratory membrane causes the gaseous exchange to occur rapidly. Oxygen gets to the blood as it passes from the alveoli into the blood. While carbon dioxide passes from the blood and goes into the alveoli.

Diaphragm - splits the chest from the abdomen and the contraction of the diaphragm expands the volume of the chest cavity. The diaphragm is considered to be the most important muscle that is implicated in breathing as during respiration, it pulls air into the lungs.

Intercostal Muscles (Internal and External) - lie between the ribs. The intercostal muscles also extend and contract. They help person inhale (breath in) and exhale (breath

The ribs and the sternum subside which means the pressure in the lungs then grows larger. Air is then forced out, and throughout exercise when more oxygen is required the intercostal muscles and diaphragm must to work harder.

Lung Volumes - the quantity of air you breathe in 1 minute is the respiratory rate and the average 18 year old breathing rate per minute is 12 breaths. This is equivalent to 6 litres advancing through the lungs. The respiratory rate increases when doing exercise to around 30-50 breaths per minute.

Tidal Volume - this is the total of air breathed in (inhaled) and out (exhaled) in 1 breath. In normal circumstances around 500cm3 is breathed in and out. Roughly around 350cm3 reaches the alveoli and the lingering 150cm3 progresses to the pharynx, larynx, trachea and the bronchioles. During exercise the tidal volume always becomes greater. Minute volume is the quantity of air advancing through the lungs in 1 minute and the lungs generally hold around 2,500cm3 of air. This air has previously gone through the gaseous exchange process with the blood being