Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Human Respiratory Organs

By Don Bethune

The respiratory, or pulmonary, system has the function to deliver oxygen to the blood, and remove carbon dioxide on the way out. Within human beings, the respiratory system is well developed and very complex. The respiratory tract consists of respiratory organs that all work together in an intricate system. The organs are:

The Nasal Cavity. The Nasal Cavity is situated above the mouth, and accesses the external atmosphere through the nostrils, and internally it accessed the pharynx with the internal nostrils. The nasal cavity helps filter out dust particles from the outside environment with the cilia and with mucus.

Pharynx:- From the nasal cavity, the air moves into the pharynx which is common area to both digestive and respiratory tracts.The pharynxopens into larynx or voice box through the glotis.The glotis can be covered by the leaf like cartilage epiglotis during swallowing of food.

Larynx:- It is cartilagious box like structure located at the tracheal opening. When we swallow some food material,the larynx moves up or down to allow safe passage of air or food. Larynx contains two vocal chords which vibrate and produce sound while we speak.

The Trachea. After the larynx, thereas the trachea, which is a tube leading to the bronchi. This tube is eleven centimeters in length and twenty five in diameter. The trachea has an incomplete C-shape cartiligious ring within its wall, which prevents it from collapsing so we can keep breathing.

The Bronchi and Bronchioles: At the lower end of the trachea, are the two primary bronchi. These bronchi lead to the lungs, both to the right and left side. The right bronchus is split into three bronchi that extend separately into the three lobes of the right lung. In a complimentary fashion, the left bronchi splits into two bronchi that connect to the two lobes of the left lung.

The Lungs: Lungs are an elastic, spongy, bag like structure, that is hollow. There are two lungs, both located in the thoracic cavity. The thoracic cavity is surrounded by the vertebral column, the sternum, and the diaphragm. The diaphragm form the floor of the cavity, so they are what our lungs rest on.

The right lung is divided into three lobies whereas the left lung has two lobies.The lungs are sorrounded by a narrow shape called pleural cavaty.There are two membranes around pleural cavaty.These membrane secret an oily fluid called pleural fluid.Pleural cavity is filled with pleural fluid. - 15359

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