The respiratory system is a biological system consisting of specific organs and structures used for gas exchange in animals and plants. It is responsible for taking in oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide. The respiratory system includes the following parts:
- Nose and nasal cavity
- Sinuses
- Mouth
- Throat (pharynx)
- Voice box (larynx)
- Windpipe (trachea)
- Diaphragm
- Lungs
- Bronchial tubes/bronchi
- Bronchioles
- Air sacs (alveoli)
- Capillaries
The primary purpose of the respiratory system is to equalize the partial pressures of the respiratory gases in the alveolar air with those in the pulmonary capillary blood. This process occurs by simple diffusion across a very thin membrane known as the blood-air barrier, which forms the walls of the pulmonary capillaries and the alveoli. The respiratory system has many functions, including allowing you to talk and smell, warming air to match your body temperature and moisturizing it to the humidity level your body needs, delivering oxygen to the cells in your body, removing waste gases, including carbon dioxide, from the body when you exhale, and protecting your airways from harmful substances and irritants.