Ch. 7.10 Key Terms
Alveoli
Tiny, balloon-like air sacs in the lungs where oxygen moves into your blood and carbon dioxide moves out.
Bronchi
The two main tubes that branch off from the trachea (windpipe), with one going to each lung.
Bronchioles
Even smaller tubes that branch off from the bronchi, leading to the alveoli.
Cilia:
Tiny, hair-like structures that line the airways. They move back and forth to sweep mucus and dirt out of the lungs.
Epiglottis:
A small flap of tissue at the back of your throat that covers your windpipe when you swallow, preventing food and drink from entering your lungs.
Larynx
The "voice box," a tube in your throat that contains your vocal cords, which vibrate to make sound.
Lungs
The two main organs of the respiratory system, located in your chest, that take in oxygen and get rid of carbon dioxide.
Nasal Cavities
The spaces inside your nose that warm, moisten, and filter the air you breathe in.
Nasal Septum
The wall of cartilage and bone that divides your nose into two separate nasal cavities (nostrils).
Nose:
The organ on your face that allows you to breathe in and smell.
Pharynx
The "throat," a passageway that connects your nasal cavities and mouth to your larynx (voice box) and esophagus (food tube).
Pleura
A thin, slippery membrane that covers the outside of the lungs and lines the inside of your chest cavity, allowing the lungs to slide smoothly as you breathe.
Sinuses
Hollow, air-filled spaces in the bones of your skull that connect to the nasal cavities. They help to warm and moisten the air you breathe.
Trachea
The "windpipe," the main tube that carries air from your larynx (voice box) down toward your lungs.
Cellular Respiration
The chemical process that happens inside your cells, where oxygen is used to break down sugar (glucose) to create energy for your body to use. Carbon dioxide is produced as a waste product.
Expiration
The act of breathing out. Your diaphragm and rib muscles relax, making your chest cavity smaller and pushing air (containing waste carbon dioxide) out of your lungs.
External Respiration
The exchange of gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide) between the lungs (alveoli) and the bloodstream.
Inspiration
The act of breathing in. Your diaphragm (a big muscle below your lungs) contracts and moves down, while your rib muscles lift your ribs up and out, pulling air into your lungs.
Internal Respiration
The exchange of gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide) between the bloodstream and your body's cells.
Respiration
The overall process of getting oxygen to your body's cells and getting rid of carbon dioxide. It includes breathing (ventilation), gas exchange in the lungs (external respiration), and gas exchange at the cells (internal respiration).
Respiratory System:
The network of organs and tissues (including the nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs) that allows you to breathe.
Ventilation
The mechanical act of breathing—the movement of air into (inspiration) and out of (expiration) the lungs.