Respiratory System - Parts (tissues) Flashcards
(9 cards)
What does your tongue do in the respiratory system?
Opens your airway
What do lungs do in the respiratory system?
- Allow oxygen in the air to be taken into the body, while also letting the body get rid of carbon dioxide in the air breathed out.
- The main function of the lungs is the process of gas exchange called respiration (or breathing). In respiration, oxygen from incoming air enters the blood, and carbon dioxide, a waste gas from the metabolism, leaves the blood.
What does the larynx do in the respiratory system?
The primary function of the larynx in humans and other vertebrates is to protect the lower respiratory tract from aspirating food into the trachea while breathing. It also contains the vocal cords and functions as a voice box for producing sounds, i.e., phonation.
What does the trachea do in the respiratory system?
The primary function of the trachea is to allow passage of inspired and expired air into and out of the lung. The trachea is a midline structure and lies just anterior the esophagus.
What does the pharynx do in the respiratory system?
The pharynx acts as a passageway for air to enter the larynx and lungs and food and liquid to enter the esophagus. It also plays a role in speech.
What does the epiglottis do in the respiratory system?
The epiglottis is usually upright at rest allowing air to pass into the larynx and lungs. When a person swallows the epiglottis folds backward to cover the entrance of the larynx so food and liquid do not enter the windpipe and lungs.
What does the bronchi do in the respiratory system?
While it is the trachea’s purpose to conduct air from the mouth and nose towards the lungs, it is the bronchi which distribute the air throughout the lungs until reaching the respiratory bronchioles and alveolar sacs (these structures pertain to the respiratory zone).
What does the alveoli do to the respiratory system?
The alveoli are where the lungs and the blood exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide during the process of breathing in and breathing out. Oxygen breathed in from the air passes through the alveoli and into the blood and travels to the tissues throughout the body.
What does the diaphragm do in the respiratory system?
The diaphragm (DYE-uh-fram) is a muscle between the chest and the abdomen that allows the body to move air in and out of the respiratory system. When you breathe in (inhalation), the diaphragm moves down toward the abdomen, and the rib muscles pull the ribs upward and outward.
