Human Biology Chapter 10: Respiratory System

Respiratory System

Organ system consisting of the lungs and tubes that bring oxygen into the lungs and take carbon dioxide.

Inspiration

Act of taking in air the lungs; also called inhalation.

Expiration

Acting of letting air out of the lungs;

Nasal Cavity

One of two canals in the nose, separated by a septum.

Pharynx

Portion of the digestive tract between the mouth and the esophagus that serves as a passageway for food and also for air on its way to the trachea.

Glottis

Operating for airflow in the larynx.

Larynx

Cartilaginous organ located between the pharynx and the trachea that contains the vocal cords, also called the voice box.

Trachea

Passageway that conveys air from the larynx to the brooch; also called the windpipe.

Bronchus

The two major divisions of the trachea leading to the lungs.

Bronchioles

Smaller air passages in the lungs that begin at the bronchi and terminate in alveoli.

Lung

Paired, cone-shaped organs within the thoracic cavity; function in internal respiration and contain moist surfaces for gas exchange.

Diaphragm

1. Dome shaped horizontal sheet of muscle and connective tissue that divides the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity.

2. A birth control device consisting of a soft rubber or latex cup that fits over the cervix.

Tonsils

Partially encapsulated lymph nodules located in the pharynx.

Vocal Cords

Fold of tissue within the larynx; creates vocal sounds when it vibrates.

Epiglottis

Structure that covers the glottis during the process of swallowing.

Pleura

Serious membrane that encloses the lungs.

Surfactant

Agent that reduces the surface tension of water; in the lungs, a surfactant prevents the alveoli from collapsing.

Tonsillitis

Infection of the tonsils that causes inflammation and can spread to the middle ears.

Laryngitis

Infection in the larynx with accompanying hoarseness.

Pneumonia

Infection of the lungs that cause alveoli to fill with mucus and pus.

Asthma

Condition in which bronchioles constrict and cause difficulty in breathing.

Emphysema

Degenerative lung disorder in which bursting of he alveolar walls reduces the total surface are for gas exchange.

Pulmonary Fibrosis

Accumulation of fibrous connective tissue in the lungs; caused by inhaling irritating particles, such as silica, coal dust, or asbestos.

Lung Cancer

Malignant growth that often beings in the bronchi.

Alveoli

Microscopic air sacs in a lung; site of gas exchange.

Capillary

Smallest of the blood vessels in the circulatory system; site of the majority of nutrient and fluid exchange with tissues.

Tuberculosis

Infection of the lungs, caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Esophagus.

Muscular tube for moving swallowed food from the pharynx to the stomach.