Respiratory system why is it important to humans

From a functional perspective, the respiratory system can be divided into two major areas: the conducting zone and the respiratory zone. The conducting zone consists of all of the structures that provide passageways for air to travel into and out of the lungs: the nasal cavity, pharynx, trachea, bronchi, and most bronchioles. The nasal passages contain the conchae and meatuses that expand the surface area of the cavity which helps to warm and humidify incoming air while removing debris and pathogens.

The pharynx is composed of three major sections: the nasopharynx which is continuous with the nasal cavity; the oropharynx which borders the nasopharynx and the oral cavity, and the laryngopharynx which borders the oropharynx, trachea, and esophagus.

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The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website. Skip to main content. Home Lungs. Respiratory system. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. Tiny hairs called cilia pronounced: SIL-ee-uh protect the nasal passageways and other parts of the respiratory tract, filtering out dust and other particles that enter the nose through the breathed air.

The two openings of the airway the nasal cavity and the mouth meet at the pharynx pronounced: FAR-inks , or throat, at the back of the nose and mouth. The pharynx is part of the digestive system as well as the respiratory system because it carries both food and air.

At the bottom of the pharynx, this pathway divides in two, one for food — the esophagus pronounced: ih-SAH-fuh-gus , which leads to the stomach — and the other for air. The epiglottis pronounced: eh-pih-GLAH-tus , a small flap of tissue, covers the air-only passage when we swallow, keeping food and liquid from going into the lungs. The larynx, or voice box, is the top part of the air-only pipe. This short tube contains a pair of vocal cords, which vibrate to make sounds.

The trachea, or windpipe, is the continuation of the airway below the larynx. The walls of the trachea pronounced: TRAY-kee-uh are strengthened by stiff rings of cartilage to keep it open. The trachea is also lined with cilia, which sweep fluids and foreign particles out of the airway so that they stay out of the lungs. At its bottom end, the trachea divides into left and right air tubes called bronchi pronounced: BRAHN-kye , which connect to the lungs.