Respiratory System Flashcards
Oropharynx
The part of the throat located behind the mouth, serving as a passageway for both air and food.
Larynx
The voice box, located in the neck, which contains the vocal cords and is involved in breathing, producing sound, and protecting the trachea against food aspiration.
Epiglottis
A flap of tissue at the base of the tongue that closes over the trachea during swallowing to prevent food or liquid from entering the airway.
Trachea
The windpipe, a tube that connects the larynx to the bronchi and allows air to pass to and from the lungs.
Bronchi
The two large air passages that branch off the trachea and lead into each lung. They further divide into smaller branches inside the lungs.
Bronchioles
he smaller air passages that branch off from the bronchi within the lungs, leading to the alveoli where gas exchange occurs.
Alveoli
Tiny air sacs in the lungs where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged between the lungs and the blood.
Lung pleura
The double-layered membrane that surrounds the lungs, providing protection and reducing friction during breathing.
Diaphragm
A large, dome-shaped muscle located below the lungs that plays a key role in breathing by contracting and relaxing to allow air to flow in and out of the lungs.
Intercostal muscles
Muscles located between the ribs that assist with the expansion and contraction of the chest during breathing.
Phrenic nerve
A nerve that controls the diaphragm, enabling the contraction needed for breathing.
Pulmonary capillaries
Tiny blood vessels surrounding the alveoli where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged between the lungs and blood.