What is respiratory system?
• Why do we need air?
• We need air to breathe. The air we
breathe has oxygen. We cannot survive
without oxygen.
• To help us achieve this, we have
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM. It is the system of
organs in the body which is responsible
for taking in oxygen and giving out carbon
dioxide.
• The most important organ of
the respiratory system are the
lungs. They carry out the
exchange of taking in oxygen
and giving out carbon dioxide
gases as we breathe.
• There are two lungs in our
body.
• The other organs of the
respiratory system are nose,
mouth, trachea, rib cage, and
diaphragm.
• When we inhale, or breathe
in, the air goes into the
windpipe through our nose.
• Fresh air with oxygen reaches
the lungs from the windpipe.
• The oxygen mixes with the
blood and reaches the heart.
• The heart pumps it and it
reaches the other parts of the
body.
• The blood then picks up
carbon dioxide from other
parts of the body.
• It reaches the lungs and
the lungs exhale carbon
dioxide.
The rib cage is another important
organ. It goes around the lungs
and the heart to protect them
from damage. The ribs also move
when we breathe in and out.
You can feel it working by doing the following
exercise:
• Put one hand on your chest and the other on
the upper part of your stomach.
• Now, take a deep breath. You will feel your
chest and your stomach get bigger as the air
goes into your lungs.
• The rib cage also moves as you inhale and
exhale.
Did you know?
• In humans, the average rate of breathing is
dependent upon the person’s age.
• A new born baby's normal breathing rate
is about 40 times each minute and may
slow to 20 to 40 times per minute when
they sleep.
• For adults, the average breathing rate is 12
to 16 breaths per minute.
• Physical exertion also has an effect on
respiratory rate. Healthy adults have an
average of 45 breaths per minute while
doing strenuous exercises.