Respiratory System Functions

The respiratory system​

​No one can go for very long without breathing. Your body cells need oxygen, and they get that oxygen from the air you breathe. The respiratory system moves oxygen from the outside environment into the body. It also removes carbon dioxide and water from the body.

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Taking in oxygen

Where does it come from?

​The oxygen your body needs comes from the atmosphere- the mixture of gases that blankets the Earth. Your body doesn't use most of the other gases in the air your breathe in. When you exhale, most of the air goes back into the atmosphere.

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Taking in Oxygen

Breathing

​Oxygen is needed for the energy-releasing chemical reactions that take place inside your cells. Like fire, which cannot burn without oxygen, your cells cannot "burn" enough fuel to keep you alive without oxygen.

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Respiration​

Taking in Oxygen​

​The process in which oxygen and glucose undergo a complex series of chemical reactions inside cells is called Respiration.

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Removing carbon dioxide and water

Respiration​

​In addition to the release of energy, respiration produces carbon dioxide and water. Your respiratory system eliminates the carbon dioxide and some of the water through your lungs.

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System Working Together

The Respiratory system ​

​The respiratory system is just one of the body systems that makes respiration possible. Respiration could not take place without the Digestive and Circulatory system as well. Your respiratory system absorbs glucose from the food you eat.

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System Working Together

The respiratory system​

Then, Your circulatory system carries both the oxygen and the glucose to your cells. where respiration occurs!​

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The Path of Air

The Respiratory System ​

As air travels from the outside environment to the lungs, it passes through the following structures: nose, pharynx, trachea, and bronchi. It takes air only a few seconds to complete the route from the nose to the lungs.​

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Fueling your cells

​Oxygen from the air and glucose from digested food are both carried to cells by the blood. During respiration, oxygen reacts with glucose to release energy

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The Respiratory System

The Path of air​- page 413

​The Nose

The Pharynx (FAR ingks)

The Trachea (Tray Kee uh)

The Bronchi and Lungs (Brahng ky)

Alveoli (Al VEE uh ly)​

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Gas Exchange

Within the Alveoli and the Capillaries ​

​Because the walls of both the alveoli and the capillaries are very thin, certain material can pass through them easily. After air enters an alveolus, oxygen passes through the wall of the alveolus and then through the capillary wall into the blood. Carbon dioxide and water pass from the blood into the alveoli. This is Gas exchange.

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How Gas exchange Occurs

​Imagine that you are a drop of blood beginning your journey through a capillary that wraps around an alveolus. When you begin that journey, you are carrying a lot of carbon dioxide and little oxygen. As you move through the capillary, oxygen gradually attaches to the hemoglobin in your red blood cells. At the same time, you are getting rid of carbon dioxide. At the end of your journey around the alveolus, you are rich in oxygen and poor in carbon dioxide.

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Surface area for Gas Exchange

Page 416

​Read Surface Area for Gas Exchange

Also

How you Breathe​

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