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Pneumonia Anatomy and Physiology

The document summarizes the anatomy and physiology of the respiratory system. It describes the upper respiratory tract including the nose, nasal cavity and pharynx. It then describes the lower respiratory tract including the larynx, trachea, bronchi and lungs. It provides details on the structure and function of each part, explaining how air flows through the nose into the lungs and how gas exchange occurs in the alveoli.

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7K views2 pages

Pneumonia Anatomy and Physiology

The document summarizes the anatomy and physiology of the respiratory system. It describes the upper respiratory tract including the nose, nasal cavity and pharynx. It then describes the lower respiratory tract including the larynx, trachea, bronchi and lungs. It provides details on the structure and function of each part, explaining how air flows through the nose into the lungs and how gas exchange occurs in the alveoli.

Uploaded by

IanaCarandang
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Anatomy and Physiology

 Upper respiratory tract: external nose, nasal cavity and pharynx


 Lower respiratory tract: larynx, trachea, bronchi and lungs
Nose
Air comes into the body through our nose. The nostrils are the external opening of the
nose, the nasal septum divides the nasal cavity into left and right parts. As the air enters the nasal
cavity through the nostrils, the air is filtered with the help of coarse hairs called the Cilia. Cilia
traps large dust particles suspended in the air.
Pharynx
Pharynx connects the nasal and oral cavities, through the larynx. It is a muscular cavity
with a moist tissue. Having a mucus filled barrier allow us to breathe and for our food to travel
safely without damaging the soft tissues.
The uppermost portion of the pharynx is called the “nasopharynx,” which makes sense
given its proximity to our nasal cavity. As such, it is the space where air is able to move its way
through the nose and eventually into our respiratory linings.

Larynx
Also known as the “voicebox”. Larynx is a portion of breathing which contains the vocal
cords to produce vocal sounds. The vocal cords tighten when the air from the lungs is forced
between them making them produce vibration which causes the cords to produce sound.

Trachea
The trachea or windpipe is the large air tube that leads from the larynx (the voice box) to the
bronchi (the large airways that branch off to enter each lung) which carries the air to the left and
right bronchus. It is an important part of the respiratory system that warms and moistens air as
well as catches foreign particles and bacteria that are inhaled.

Bronchi
The bronchi function as a passageway for air to travel from the mouth and trachea, down to
the alveoli, where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place, and back out to the
environment.  The trachea, which carries the air to the left and right bronchus. The bronchi
become smaller the closer they get to the lung tissue and are then considered bronchioles. These
passageways then evolve into tiny air sacs called alveoli, which is the site of oxygen and carbon
dioxide exchange in the respiratory system. Primary bronchi are located in the upper portion of
the lungs, with secondary bronchi near the center of the lungs. Tertiary bronchi are located near
the bottom of these organs, just above the bronchioles.
Lungs

Principle organ for respiration, The lungs are located in the chest, behind the rib cage on
either side of the heart. They are roughly conical in shape with a rounded point at their apex and
a flatter base where they meet the diaphragm. Although they are a pair, the lungs are not equal in
size and shape. The left lung has an indentation bordering where the heart resides. The right lung
is shorter to allow space for the liver below. The lungs' main role is to bring in air from the
atmosphere and pass oxygen into the bloodstream. From there, it circulates to the rest of the
body.

The diaphragm is a muscle that is domed at the top and sits below the lungs. It powers
most of the work involved in breathing. As it contracts, it moves down, allowing more space in
the chest cavity and increasing the lungs' capacity to expand. As the chest cavity volume
increases, the pressure inside goes down, and air is sucked in through the nose or mouth and
down into the lungs.

When air enters the nose or mouth, it travels down the trachea, also called the windpipe.
After this, the windpipe splits into two, creating two mainstem bronchi. One leads to the left lung
and the other to the right lung. From there, like branches on a tree, the pipe-like bronchi split
again into smaller bronchi and then even smaller bronchioles. This ever-decreasing pipework
eventually terminates in the alveoli, which are little air sac endings where gas exchange occurs.

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