Lung Lab

Lung Capacity in this lab, I learned about lung capacity and CO2 production. Lung capacity simply means the maximum amount of air you can take into your lungs. Lung capacity and CO2 production closely relate to the respiratory system. The respiratory system is the system in which oxygen goes into your body and carbon dioxide comes out; In short it’s breathing. The structures involved in the respiratory system are mouth/nose, mucus/cilia, pharynx, larynx, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli, pleura, and diaphragm. There functions are as followed: Air enters the body through the mouth or nose. The mucus moistens the air and traps inhaled particles of dust or smoke, the cilia sweeps the trapped particles and mucus away from the lungs. The pharynx serves as the passageway for both air and food. The larynx contains two highly elastic folds of tissue known as the vocal cords. The Bronchi is the passage way for air from the trachea to the lungs. Bronchioles are tiny branches from bronchi to alveoli. The Alveoli are tiny air sacs where gas exchange occurs. The pleura are sacs that enclose the lungs and create a partial vacuum. And lastly the Diaphragm is the large, flat muscle at the bottom of the chest cavity that helps with breathing.( http://informationbible.com/article-the-human-respiratory-system-238074.html) The diaphragm is a major part of inhalation and exhalation along with the pleura membrane. Inhalation and Exhalation is simply the breathing in and out of air and carbon dioxide, either through the nose or mouth. The diaphragm is involved in inhalation and exhalation because when you breath it contracts and moves downwards, it becomes flatter making the pressure go down because there is now more space for air. And with this space air goes into the nose or mouth filling the lungs with air. Gas exchange also occurs between the alveoli and capillaries. The capillaries are the smallest blood vessels contained in the body! They are so small, that blood cells are only