Respiratory System Facts & Worksheets

The respiratory system comprises tissues and organs that support breathing, including your airways, lungs, and blood vessels. The respiratory system contains the muscles that operate your lungs, and these organs work together to transfer oxygen throughout the body while also removing waste gases like carbon dioxide.

See the fact file below for more information on the Respiratory System or alternatively, you can download our 25-page Respiratory System worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

FUNCTION

• The respiratory system serves various purposes. Aside from assisting you in inhaling and exhaling:
• It allows you to communicate and smell.
• Warms the air to your body temperature, hydrates it to your body’s humidity level, and provides oxygen to your cells.
• When you exhale, waste gases such as carbon dioxide are removed from your body. It also keeps dangerous chemicals and irritants out of your airways.

ANATOMY

• Many aspects of the respiratory system work together to assist you in breathing. Each set of pieces has several individual components. Air is delivered to your lungs via your airways. Your airways are a complex system comprised of:

MOUTH AND NOSE

• These openings enable air to enter your respiratory system from outside your body.

SINUSES

• Hollow spaces between your skull’s bones assist in regulating the temperature and humidity of the air you breathe.

PHARYNX (THROAT)

• The tube transports air between your mouth and nose to your trachea (windpipe).

TRACHEA

• The trachea is a passageway between your lungs and your throat.

BRONCHIAL TUBES

• The bronchial tube is a tube that links to each lung at the bottom of the windpipe.

LUNGS

• Two organs receive oxygen from the air and carry it to the bloodstream, while circulation transports oxygenated blood to tissues and organs.

MUSCLES AND BONES

• Assist in moving the air you breathe through and out of your lungs. Your respiratory system’s bones and muscles comprise the diaphragm and ribs.

DIAPHRAGM

• A muscle that aids your lungs in drawing in and pushing out air.

RIBS

• These are the bones that safeguard and surround your lungs and heart.

• When you exhale, your blood transports carbon dioxide and other waste from your body. Other components that interact with the lungs and blood vessels include as follows:

ALVEOLI

• Tiny air sacs in the lungs wherein oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged.

BRONCHIOLES

• It is small bronchial tube branches that connect to the alveoli.

CAPILLARIES

• The capillaries are alveolar blood arteries that transport oxygen and carbon dioxide.

LUNG LOBES

• The lungs are divided into three chambers in the right lung and two in the left lung.

PLEURA

• Thin sacs encircle and divide each lung lobe from the rib cage.

CILIA

• Dirt and other irritants are filtered out of your airways by tiny hairs that sweep in a wavelike pattern.

EPIGLOTTIS

• Tissue flap at the tracheal entry that closes as you swallow to prevent food and liquids from entering your airway.

LARYNX (VOICE BOX)

• A hollow organ enables you to communicate and generate sounds as air goes in and out.

BREATHING PROCESS

• You begin to breathe when you breathe air via your nose or mouth, and it passes down your neck and windpipe, separated into air channels known as bronchial tubes. These airways must be open for your lungs to function properly and devoid of inflammation, edema, and excessive mucous.
• The bronchial tubes split into smaller air channels called bronchioles as they move through your lungs. The bronchioles terminate in little balloon-like air sacs known as alveoli. There are 600 million alveoli in your body.
• The alveoli are protected by a network of capillaries, which are tiny blood veins. Here, oxygen from breathed air enters your bloodstream.
• Blood returns to your heart after obtaining oxygen, and the blood is then pumped through your body by your heart to the cells of your organs and tissues.
• When your cells consume oxygen, they produce carbon dioxide, which enters your bloodstream. The carbon dioxide is transported back to your lungs by your blood, which is expelled from your body when you exhale.

INHALATION AND EXHALATION

• Inhalation and exhalation are the processes through which your body takes in oxygen and expels carbon dioxide.
• The diaphragm, a substantial dome-shaped muscle beneath your lungs, aids in the process.
• When you take a breath, your diaphragm pushes downward, producing a vacuum that forces air into your lungs.
• Exhalation has the opposite effect. Your diaphragm relaxes and goes higher, enabling your lungs to collapse.

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM: KEEPING THE AIR CLEAN

• The respiratory system is designed to prevent airborne substances from infiltrating your lungs.
• The hairs of your nose filter out large particles and keep your air passageways clean, and tiny hairs called cilia to move comprehensively. 
• However, if you breathe in toxic substances such as cigarette smoke, your cilia may cease operating, resulting in health issues such as bronchitis.
• Cells in your trachea and bronchial tubes produce mucus, which keeps your airways wet and helps keep dust, germs, viruses, and allergy-causing substances out of your lungs.
• Mucus can draw things up from deeper within your lungs. Then you cough or swallow them.

CONDITIONS AND DISORDERS

• Many disorders can impact the tissues and organs that comprise the respiratory system. Some develop due to airborne irritants, such as bacteria or viruses that induce infection. Others occur as a result of sickness or age. Inflammation (swelling, irritation, and pain) or other effects on the respiratory system can be caused by the following conditions:

ALLERGIES

• Some people develop respiratory allergies after breathing proteins such as dust, mold, and pollen. These proteins can induce airway inflammation.

ASTHMA

• Asthma is a chronic (long-term) disease characterized by inflammation in the airways, making breathing difficult.

CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE (COPD)

• This chronic illness worsens with time. Bronchitis and emphysema are examples.

BRONCHIECTASIS

• Inflammation and infection thicken the bronchial walls.

PNEUMONIA

• Swelling in your alveoli is caused by an infection. They might get clogged with liquid or pus.

TUBERCULOSIS

• A bacteria cause this severe illness, and it primarily impacts the lungs and can influence the kidney, spine, or brain.

LUNG CANCER

• Lung cells alter and develop into a tumor. It is frequently caused by smoking or other substances inhaled.

CYSTIC FIBROSIS

• This condition is due to a genetic issue that worsens with time and causes persistent lung infections.

PLEURAL EFFUSION

• A lot of fluid accumulates between tissues that border your lungs and chest.

IDIOPATHIC PULMONARY FIBROSIS

• The lung tissue gets scarred and is unable to function normally.

SARCOIDOSIS

• Granulomas are tiny clusters of inflammatory cells that grow in your lungs and lymphatic system.

HEALTH CARE TIPS

• Respiratory health must be able to discharge mucus from the lungs and airways. It would help if you did the following to maintain your respiratory system healthy:
• Avoid contaminants that can harm your lungs, such as secondhand smoking, chemicals, and radon (a radioactive gas that can cause cancer). 
• Use a mask if you are exposed to fumes, dust, or other sorts of pollution for any reason.
• You should not smoke.
• Stay hydrated by eating a nutritious diet rich in fruits and vegetables and drinking plenty of water.
• Exercise daily to maintain your lungs in good shape.
• Wash your hands frequently and obtain a flu vaccine yearly to avoid illness.

Respiratory System Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Respiratory System across 25 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Respiratory System worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the respiratory system, which comprises tissues and organs that support breathing, including your airways, lungs, and blood vessels.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

• Respiratory System Facts
• Parts of the Respiratory System
• Parts and Functions
• Gas Exchange
• Structure of the Lungs
• Famous People
• Respiratory Infections
• Keep it Healthy
• About Respiratory
• On Top of the Mountain
• My Record

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the respiratory system?

The respiratory system comprises tissues and organs that support breathing, including your airways, lungs, and blood vessels. The respiratory system contains the muscles that operate your lungs, and these organs work together to transfer oxygen throughout the body while also removing waste gases like carbon dioxide.

What is the primary function of the respiratory system?

It allows you to communicate and smell. Warms the air to your body temperature, hydrates it to your body’s humidity level, and provides oxygen to your cells. When you exhale, waste gases such as carbon dioxide are removed from your body.

When we breathe, which organs of the respiratory system split into smaller air channels?

The bronchial tubes split into smaller air channels called bronchioles as they move through your lungs. The bronchioles terminate in little balloon-like air sacs known as alveoli. There are 600 million alveoli in your body.

How does the respiratory system keep the air we breathe clean?

The respiratory system is designed to prevent airborne substances from infiltrating your lungs. The hairs of your nose filter out large particles and keep your air passageways clean, and tiny hairs called cilia to move comprehensively. 

What is a common disease concerning the respiratory system?

The typical respiratory disease is asthma, a chronic (long-term) disorder characterized by inflammation in the airways, making breathing difficult.

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