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The respiratory system (also respiratory apparatus, ventilatory system) is a biological system consisting of specific organs and structures used for gas exchange in animals and plants. The anatomy and physiology that make this happen varies greatly, depending on the size of the organism, the environment in which it lives and its evolutionary ...
Lung volumes and lung capacities refer to the volume of air in the lungs at different phases of the respiratory cycle. The average total lung capacity of an adult human male is about 6 litres of air. [1] Tidal breathing is normal, resting breathing; the tidal volume is the volume of air that is inhaled or exhaled in only a single such breath.
The lungs are not capable of inflating themselves, and will expand only when there is an increase in the volume of the thoracic cavity. [6] [7] In humans, as in the other mammals, this is achieved primarily through the contraction of the diaphragm, but also by the contraction of the intercostal muscles which pull the rib cage upwards and outwards as shown in the diagrams on the right. [8]
The lungs of amphibians typically have a few narrow internal walls of soft tissue around the outer walls, increasing the respiratory surface area and giving the lung a honeycomb appearance. In some salamanders, even these are lacking, and the lung has a smooth wall.
The upper respiratory tract can refer to the parts of the respiratory system lying above the vocal folds, or above the cricoid cartilage. [4] [5] The larynx is sometimes included in both the upper and lower airways. [6] The larynx is also called the voice box and has the associated cartilage that produces sound.
English: The respiratory system consists of the airways, the lungs, and the respiratory muscles that mediate the movement of air into and out of the body. Español : Diagrama esquemático del sistema respiratorio humano , mostrando los pulmones , los alvéolos , y los músculos que permiten al aire entrar y salir del cuerpo.
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Dead space reduces the amount of fresh breathing gas which reaches the alveoli during each breath. This reduces the oxygen available for gas exchange, and the amount of carbon dioxide that can be removed. The buildup of carbon dioxide is usually the more noticeable effect unless the breathing gas is hypoxic as occurs at high altitude.