The Respiratory System: A Review of the System, Its Components, and Diseases That Can Affect It

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The Respiratory System A Review of the System, Its Components, and Diseases That Can Affect It What is the respiratory system? Why do we need to breathe? Can the process be changed or altered? The information in this paper will help you find out how the respiratory system works, what the components are that make the system work, and the many diseases that can change or alter the process. The respiratory system is made up of the organs and tissues in your body that help you breathe. The goal of breathing is to deliver oxygen to the body and take away carbon dioxide, a waste product that can be deadly if allowed to accumulate. The cells of the human body require a constant stream of oxygen to stay alive. The body needs oxygen to provide energy and growth to body cells. The respiratory system resides in the upper abdomen and chest area where the oxygen comes in through the nose, through inhalation, and is processed by the lungs. After air leaves the head it travels down through the trachea. It divides into two branches, the left and right bronchus, that enters into the lungs. There it goes into a thin membrane lining the walls of the lungs called the alveoli. “As a result, oxygen diffuses across microthin membranes into the blood from the alveoli and carbon dioxide diffuses into the alveoli from the blood” (Petechuk, 2004, pg. 20). So when you inhale, oxygen goes into the blood, and when you exhale carbon dioxide comes out of the blood. There are many components that make up the respiratory system. There is an upper respiratory system and a lower respiratory system. In the upper respiratory system you will find the nose, pharynx, and larynx. The lower respiratory tract is made up of the trachea, bronchial tree, the lungs and d... ... middle of paper ... ...through medications, surgery or special breathing machines. The respiratory system is something we sometimes take for granted; because breathing is something we do without having to think about. It is a system made up of organs, tissues and blood circulation. It is a complex and fragile system that we must take care of if we want to live a healthy life. Works Cited Petechuk, David. The Respiratory System. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2004. Print. "Respiratory System: Facts, Function, and Diseases." Livescience.com. Tech Media Network, 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. . "Respiratory System." Inner Body. HOWTOMEDIA, Inc., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. . Whittemore, Susan, and Denton A. Cooley, M.D. The Respiratory System. Philadelphia [Pa.: Chelsea House, 2004. Print.

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