The Lungs and Respiratory System
March is here – that means it’s springtime! After months of chilly weather, the sun shines longer each day, and plants will begin to bloom. It feels so good to step outside, take a deep breath, and fill your lungs with fresh air. That first big breath of spring is a perfect reminder of how AMAZING your lungs and respiratory system truly are.
Breathing In, Breathing Out
Did you know that you take thousands of breaths every day – about 20,000 in fact! Breathing keeps you alive and full of energy. When you breathe in, oxygen travels through your nose or mouth, down your “windpipe”, also called the trachea, and into two main airways called bronchi that lead to your lungs.
Your lungs work in partnership with your heart, and they are all protected by your rib cage. The lungs have a right side and a left side – each with multiple lobes, or parts. Your right lung has three lobes, and your left lung has two. The left lung has two lobes to make room for your heart.
Inside your lungs, the air moves through from your nose, down the trachea, into the bronchi, and then into smaller and smaller tubes until it reaches millions of tiny air sacs called alveoli. This is where the magic happens. Inside these tiny sacs, oxygen diffuses into your blood, and carbon dioxide moves out of your blood and into the lungs so you can breathe it out.