Respiratory System Flashcards
nostril
contains cilia/nostril hair and is made up of cartilage.
it filters, warms and moistens the air before it reaches the lungs.
pharynx
a hollow tube-like structure that connects the nasal cavity and the back of the mouth to other structures lower in the throat.
air, food and fluids pass through/down the pharynx.
buccal cavity
aka the moth or oral cavity. made up of gums, teeth, salivary glands, tongue, etc.
two mains functions are eating and speaking
larynx
aka the voice box because it contains the vocal cords. the larynx connects the pharynx and trachea. Allows for breathing. The larynx is essential to human speech.
trachea
Located just below the larynx, the trachea is the main airway to the lungs. carries air in and out of your lungs.
epiglottis
A small muscular flap that closes to prevent food and liquid from going down your windpipe (the trachea)
esophagus
a hollow, muscular tube that passes food and liquid from your throat to your stomach.
intercostal muscles
lie between your ribs, attaching them to one another.
help stabilize your upper body and help you breathe.
pleural membranes
thin, smooth and lines the inside of the rib cage.
makes a liquid called pleural fluid
pleural fluid
made by the pleural membranes.
the fluid fills the space between the pleural membranes.
when the lungs inflate and deflate, the fluid helps to lubricate them so that they don’t rub against the rib cage too much.
alveoli
located at the end of each bronchiole. tiny air sacs where gas exchange takes place
bronchi/bronchus
large tubes that connect to your trachea (windpipe) and direct the air you breathe to your right and left lungs
bronchiole
a small tube that branches out from the bronchus in the lungs.
diaphragm
a large sheet of muscle and elastic tissue which stretches across your body, underneath your heart and lungs.
helps you to breathe.
