Respiratory
System
System
What is the flexible tube in your throat commonly called the windpipe?
TRACHEA
What 5-letter word describes the sudden feeling of terror or fear that causes a person to breathe incredibly fast?
Panic
Which chronic respiratory disease makes airways swell up and requires the use of a handheld inhaler?
Asthma
What do we call the single, deep breath you let out loudly when you are sad, tired, or relieved?
A sigh
How many total lobes (sections) are found inside a healthy human right lung?
3
Which large, flat muscle sits right under your lungs and moves up and down to help you breathe?
Diaphragm
Which part of your nervous system controls the "fight-or-flight" response, causing your breathing rate to speed up when you are scared?
Sympathetic
What is the medical term for the painful inflammation of the bronchial tubes, which usually causes a bad cough?
Bronchitis
What do we call the quick, sharp intake of breath people make when they are suddenly shocked or startled?
A gasp
How many breaths does a normal, healthy adult take per minute while resting?
12 to 20
What is the medical name for the throat area located right behind your mouth and nose?
Pharynx
What specific part of the brainstem acts as the control center that keeps you breathing automatically while you sleep?
Medulla
What is the medical term used when the oxygen levels in a person's blood drop below normal?
Hypoxemia
What is the physical action of pulling air sharply inward through your nose, usually done repeatedly while crying?
A sniff
What exact percentage of the regular air we breathe is actually made of oxygen?
21%
What is the name of the tiny cartilage flap that flips down to cover your windpipe so food doesn't go into your lungs when you swallow?
Epiglottis
Which long nerve sends calming signals from your lungs back to your brain when you take slow, deep breaths?
Vagus
What is the medical term for a partial or complete collapse of a lung?
Atelectasis
What is the word for the short, shaky catch of breath that happens when a person is crying heavily?
A sob
How fast, in miles per hour, can particles travel out of your nose during a powerful sneeze?
100 mph
What is the slippery, protective membrane that wraps around the outside of each lung?
Pleura
What is the main chemical messenger released by your body to lower your heart rate and slow down your breathing when you relax?
Acetylcholine
Which genetic disorder causes a thick, sticky buildup of mucus to clog up a person's lungs?
Cystic fibrosis
What is the physical action of making a rapid sequence of short, vocalized breaths when you find something very funny?
A laugh
Roughly how many millions of microscopic air sacs (alveoli) are packed inside a single average human lung?
150 to 300 million