Upper Respiratory Tract:
* Nose: The entry point for air, it warms, moistens, and filters incoming air.
* Nasal Cavity: The space within the nose containing the nasal septum and turbinates, which help with air flow and warming.
* Pharynx (Throat): A muscular tube that connects the nasal cavity to the larynx. It carries air and food.
* Larynx (Voice Box): Contains the vocal cords, responsible for sound production. It also prevents food from entering the airway.
Lower Respiratory Tract:
* Trachea (Windpipe): A tube that carries air to the lungs. It's lined with cilia to sweep away mucus and foreign particles.
* Bronchi: The trachea branches into two main bronchi, one for each lung, which further divide into smaller bronchioles.
* Bronchioles: Tiny airways that carry air to the alveoli.
* Alveoli: Tiny air sacs at the ends of the bronchioles, where gas exchange occurs. Oxygen passes from the alveoli into the blood, and carbon dioxide moves from the blood into the alveoli to be exhaled.
* Lungs: Two spongy organs that contain the bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli. They are the primary organs of respiration.
Other Important Components:
* Diaphragm: A dome-shaped muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdomen. It contracts to draw air into the lungs and relaxes to expel it.
* Intercostal muscles: Muscles between the ribs that help with breathing by expanding and contracting the ribcage.
The respiratory system is a complex and vital system, ensuring the body gets the oxygen it needs to function and expels the waste products of cellular respiration.
