The nose The respiratory system of humans begins with the nose, where air is conditioned by warming and

moistening. The nose is the only part of the respiratory system that is visible externally and is the route for air entry into the respiratory system. When air enters the respiratory system through the mouth, much less filtering is done. It is generally better to take in air through the nose. Pharynx Pharynx: Here the throat divides into the trachea (wind pipe) and oesophagus (food pipe). There is also a small flap of cartilage called the epiglottis which Nasal cavity As air passes through the nasal cavities it is warmed and humidifiedThe Nasal airways are lined with cilia and kept moist by mucous secretions. The combination of cilia and mucous helps to filter out solid particles from the air an Warm and moisten the air, which prevents damage to the delicate tissues that form the Respiratory System. prevents food from entering the trachea Larynx: This is also known as the voice box as it is where sound is generated. It also helps protect the trachea by producing a strong cough reflex if any solid objects pass the epiglottis.

alveoli, which are referred to as air sacs. You can think of the air sacs as a bunch of grapes, with each individual grape representing a single alveolus. Like this: A close-up of the air sacs, which are located at the ends of the bronchioles. Each "air sac" is comprised of a cluster of alveoli. The red structures represent blood vessels leading to & from the air sacs. An even closer look at an alveolus. Notice that the wall of an alveolus is only one cell thick. This allows gases to diffuse into & out of the alveoli. Also notice that the alveoli are surrounded by capillaries so that oxygen and carbon dioxide can be exchanged between the lungs & the blood. Oxygen in the alveolus can diffuse into the bloodstream (& be transported throughout the body) and carbon dioxide in the bloodstream can enter the alveoli (& then be exhaled).

Pleura is the membrane that covers the exterior surface of the LUNGS and lines the inside of the thoracic cavity. When you inhale, the diaphragm contracts & moves downward, which creates more space in your chest cavity & draws air into the lungs. When you exhale, the diaphragm relaxes & moves upward, forcing air out of the lungs

Let's take a closer look at the air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs. As the bronchioles branch out into smaller & smaller & smaller & smaller & smaller tubes, they eventually lead to microscopic clusters of