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Anatomy And Physiology Of The Respiratory System

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Section 1 : Anatomy and Physiology

The respiratory system, also known as the ventilatory system, is a series of organs found in the human body. The system’s primary function is performing respiration – inhaling oxygen from the environment and exhaling carbon dioxide out of the body (K.M Zimmermann, 2016). Oxygen acts as fuel – without it, the body would be unable to function. Carbon dioxide, the by-product of this process, is breathed out as it is toxic to the human body when it builds up (A.M Helminstine, 2016).
The main organs of the respiratory system are the lungs – they are the location where the gas exchange between oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place. The lungs therefore expand when you breathe in, and retract when you breathe out. This is done through the diaphragm – a sheet of muscle that is positioned under the lungs. As one inhales, their diaphragm contracts and moves itself downward, increasing the space for your lungs to expand to. The ribs also move to enlarge the possible area the lungs can expand to. This pressure causes air to be sucked through the body to the lungs. When one exhales, the opposite takes place – the diaphragm moves upwards and returns to normal, allowing the process to happen again.
Air can be breathed in through both the nose and the naval cavity, or the mouth, also known as the oral cavity. The air, regardless of the path taken, will always lead to the pharynx, a space located at the back of throat. It will progress through the larynx,

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