How do we breathe?
that we need air to live, just like we need water and food;
that we breathe continuously and we can hold our breath for only a short time.
to describe the role of the respiratory system;
to list basic respiratory organs and give them their functions;
to recognize the basic organs that build the respiratory system;
to describe the mechanism of lungs ventilation.
Why do we breathe?
In order to live we must breathe. Breathing we take up oxygen from the air. This invaluable substance is necessary to keep all the organs and all the cells in our body working. Thanks to oxygen, the body is able to obtain the energy necessary for life from food. Breathing process starts with the air from the environment getting through our nasal cavity into the lungs. Inside the lungs, the gas exchangegas exchange takes place, i.e. blood absorbs oxygen and releases carbon dioxide which is subsequently removed from the body. Breathing is the task of the respiratory system.
What does the respiratory system consist of?
The respiratory system consists of the respiratory tract and lungs. The first section of the respiratory tract are the nostrils, through which air is inhaled into the nasal cavity. Nasal cavity acts as a filter: it intercepts most pollutants, i.e. dust, viruses or bacteria. It also warms up the air and makes it more humid. Nasal cavity is also the organ of smell. Next is the throat – a section shared between the digestive and respiratory systems. Then the air goes into the larynx. When food is swallowed, the entrance into the larynx is closed to prevent food particles from getting in. Larynx contains vocal cordsvocal cords that enable us to make sounds. Next, the air goes into the trachea and then, through a pair of bronchi, into the lungs. Respiratory system along the entire length is lined with cells with cilia that retain and remove some air pollutants such as the abovementioned dust, viruses or bacteria.
Lungs
Lungs resemble large, spongy and springy bags. This is where gas exchange takes place. Here, bronchi branch out into smaller and smaller tubes at the end of which there are pulmonary alveoli. In the alveoli, oxygen from the air is transferred into the blood. Blood transports oxygen throughout our body and into each cell. Cells release carbon dioxide into the blood. Carbon dioxide is then transported into the lungs where it is transferred from the blood into the alveoli. Then it is removed with exhaled air.
What happens when we inhale and exhale?
Gas exchange consists of supplying oxygen‑rich air into the lungs and removing from the lungs air containing a lot of carbon dioxide. It is made possible by the ventilation mechanism. It consists of inhaling and exhaling. During inhalation, oxygen‑rich air flows through the respiratory tract into the lungs. During exhalation, oxygen‑depleted air (but rich in carbon dioxide) gets out of the respiratory system.
Ventilation of the lungs (or air exchange in the lungs) is a process powered by respiratory muscles: a diaphragmdiaphragm and intercostal muscles. The diaphragm acts like a piston whose movement causes air to be sucked into, and pushed out of the lungs. Intercostal muscles enable the volume of the ribcage to change.
Check how the chest size changes during inhaling and exhaling. Use the measuring tape to measure its circumference after inhaling and exhaling.
Exercises
Select the organ in which the gas exchange takes place:
- lungs
- trachea
- larynx
- throat
- nose
Match the pairs: English word and Polish definition.
proces polegający na pobraniu tlenu z płuc do krwi i wydaleniu dwutlenku węgla z krwi do płuc i dalej przez drogi oddechowe na zewnątrz organizmu, zachodzi dzięki zmianom objętości klatki piersiowej umożliwiających usuwanie powietrza z płuc przez wydech i napełnianie ich przez wdech, fałdy znajdujące się na bocznych ścianach krtani, które mogą się zbliżać i oddalać względem siebie; dzięki ich drganiom wytwarzane są dźwięki, mięsień oddzielający klatkę piersiową od jamy brzusznej, którego skurcze powodują zasysanie powietrza do płuc poprzez zmianę kształtu i objętości klatki piersiowej
| diaphragm | |
| vocal folds or vocal cords | |
| gas exchange | |
| lung ventilation |
Summary
The human respiratory system consists of the airways (nasal cavity, throat, larynx, trachea, bronchi) and the lungs.
The airways cleanse, moisturize and warm up the air.
The gas exchange, that is, taking oxygen into the blood and expelling carbon dioxide from it, takes place in the pulmonary alveoli that build the lungs.
The mechanism of lung ventilationlung ventilation is based on inhaling, that is sucking air into the lungs, and on exhaling, that is, pushing air out of the airways.
In diaphragmatic ventilation, the diaphragm and intercostal muscles play an important role.
Keywords
diaphragm, breathing, respiratory system, gas exchange
Glossary
przepona – mięsień oddzielający klatkę piersiową od jamy brzusznej, którego skurcze powodują zasysanie powietrza do płuc poprzez zmianę kształtu i objętości klatki piersiowej
Nagranie dostępne na portalu epodreczniki.pl
nagranie dźwiękowe dotyczące słówka vocal folds or vocal cords
struny głosowe – fałdy znajdujące się na bocznych ścianach krtani, które mogą się zbliżać i oddalać względem siebie; dzięki ich drganiom wytwarzane są dźwięki
wymiana gazowa – proces polegający na pobraniu tlenu z płuc do krwi i wydaleniu dwutlenku węgla z krwi do płuc i dalej przez drogi oddechowe na zewnątrz organizmu
wentylacja płuc – wymiana powietrza w płucach; zachodzi dzięki zmianom objętości klatki piersiowej umożliwiających usuwanie powietrza z płuc przez wydech i napełnianie ich przez wdech