We breathe in and out for 15 to 29 times per minute without even thinking about it. You don’t even give it a second thought! How exactly your respiratory system works? It keeps us alive by oxygenating the blood in our bodies. It generally comprises of airways, lungs, blood vessels and the muscles that enable breathing. The basic mechanism is to take in oxygen and exchange carbon dioxide by exhaling it out of the body. Lungs are the key players in the respiratory system.
Now, coming to the different components of the respiratory system as they form a link with one another. They are:-
- Airways
These are the wind-pipes which carry oxygen to your lungs and expels out carbon dioxide, which is unused by our body. It includes your nose and nasal cavities, mouth, larynx, trachea and bronchi. - Lungs and Blood Vessels
Within the lungs, the bronchi branches out into thousands of smaller, thinner tubes called bronchioles. These bunches in tiny air sacs are called alveoli. Each of these air sacs are covered in a mesh of tiny blood vessels called capillaries which in turn are connected to arteries and veins that moves blood through the body. - Muscles used for breathing
Abdominal muscles, Intercostal muscles, Diaphragm and muscles present near the neck and collarbone area.
What happens when you breathe air?
It consists of two processes:-
- Inhalation– During breathing in, diaphragm contracts and moves downward. It results in expansion of the lungs and air is sucked in. It reaches the alveoli and enters into the blood capillaries via hemoglobin. Simultaneously, the movement of carbon dioxide takes place from the capillaries into the air sacs. This oxygen-rich blood is then pumped into the body by the left side of the heart.
- Exhalation– Breathing out results in relaxation of the diaphragm causing it to move upwards. As the chest cavity gets smaller, carbon rich air is forced out of the lungs and expelled out by your nose or mouth.
