The respiratory system is a series of organs that are responsible for inhalation and exhalation. The system starts from the nose where the air is taken in and ends at the lungs where fresh air is absorbed into the body and used air taken out. The lungs have a large surface with a membrane that is responsible for this gaseous exchange. There also is a diaphragm that contracts and relaxes in order to initiate the movement of air in this system. Here are some of the facts about the respiratory system that you might not know.
The main parts of the respiratory system include the following
- Nose
- Trachea
- Lungs
- Diaphragm
- Bronchus
- Bronchioles
The lungs have a surface area almost the size of a tennis court
If you look at the American Educational Respiratory System Model Activity Set from Amazon, you will notice that the lungs have a very large surface area. The reason they have such a surface area is to facilitate the process of absorption of fresh air into the body. When the air enters the system through the nose and gets to the surface of the lungs, it passes over a membrane through which oxygen is taken in. The time that the air spends there is so short and therefore, it requires it to be passed over a large surface so that a lot of it can get in. However, you also need to know that this surface area varies slightly from one person to another.
The nostrils has hairs to clean the air we breathe
The Respiratory System Anatomy Model from amazon also shows that the nostrils have lots of hair. The main function of these hairs is to clean the air that we breathe. Usually, air has a lot of harmful substances. They range from simple dust particles and water to dangerous substances. Because of this, the air has to be cleaned before it gets to the lungs, and into the body system. Apart from cleaning the air, the hair also warms it. It is dangerous for extremely cold air to get to the lungs especially for people that have certain health problems.
We lose water through breathing
Have you ever breathed into a glass? If you do, you will notice that there is moisture that gathers on its surface. It is the same thing that happens when you yawn on a cold morning. You will notice that some sort of vapor raises from your mouth. This means that every time you breathe, you lose water. Scientists estimate that human beings lose up to half a liter of water every day through breathing alone. Of course, it can be more or less in some people depending on personal conditions. To be healthy, you have to ensure that you replace this lost water by taking recommended amounts of water every day.
The left lung is smaller than the right
Most educational materials from amazon also show that the right lung is slightly larger than the left. This is because the left lung shares space in that side of the chest with the lung. In addition to that, the right lung has three sections while the left only has two. Therefore, if you go for an x-ray scan and find out that there is a difference in size, do not panic.
Conclusion
It is estimated that a normal person breathes up to 15 times every minute. This is supposed to be maintained by a healthy respiratory system. To be sure of the best respiratory health, always seek the help of a physician whenever you have infections. Do not let small infections lead to dangerous illnesses.
