Respiratory system
Your respiratory system is made up of your lungs, airways (trachea,
bronchi and bronchioles), diaphragm, voice box, throat, nose and mouth.
Its main function is to breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide.
It also helps protect you from harmful particles and germs and allows
you to smell and speak
What is the respiratory system?
Your respiratory system is the organs and structures in your body that allow you to breathe. It
includes your lungs, nose, mouth and the tubelike structures (airways) that connect them. You
also have muscles and blood vessels that support your respiratory system, and ribs to protect it.
These parts work together to bring oxygen into your body when you inhale and get rid of carbon
dioxide when you exhale.
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our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy
Function
What is the main function of your respiratory system?
The main function of your respiratory system is to pull in oxygen for your body’s cells and get
rid of carbon dioxide, a waste product. You do this by breathing in and out and through gas
exchange between the small air sacs of your lungs (alveoli) and the blood vessels running
nearby. Your respiratory system also:
Warms and adds moisture to the air you breathe in. Your respiratory system warms the air to
match your body temperature. It moisturizes the air to bring it to the humidity level your body
needs.
Protects your body from particles you breathe in. Parts of your respiratory system can block
harmful germs and irritants from getting in — or push them out if they do get in.
Allows you to talk. Air vibrates your vocal cords, which makes sounds.
Helps you smell. Breathing in air moves its molecules past your olfactory nerve, which sends
messages to your brain about the way something smells.
Balances level of acidity in your body. Too much carbon dioxide lowers your blood’s pH, making
it acidic. By removing carbon dioxide, your respiratory system helps maintain the acid-base
balance in your body.
, Anatomy
What are the parts of the respiratory system?
The main organs of your respiratory system are your lungs. But your respiratory system has
many different parts that work together to help you breathe. Parts of your respiratory system
include your:
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Nose and nasal cavity.
Mouth and oral cavity.
Sinuses.
Pharynx (throat) .
Larynx (voice box) .
Trachea (windpipe).
Bronchi (large airways).
Lungs.
Diaphragm .
What’s your upper respiratory tract?
Your upper respiratory tract brings air into your body and helps move it toward your lungs. It
adds moisture to the air you breathe in. Your respiratory tract starts with your nose and mouth,
where you pull air into your body. Other parts of your upper respiratory tract include your nasal
cavity, sinuses (hollow areas in your cheeks and forehead) and larynx.
What’s your lower respiratory tract?
Your lower respiratory tract consists of your trachea, bronchi and lungs. Your trachea, bronchi
and bronchioles (small airways) make up your tracheobronchial (pronounced “tray-key-oh-
BRON-key-uhl”) tree, a series of increasingly smaller tubes that transport air from your upper
respiratory tract to small air sacs in your lungs (alveoli). (It looks a bit like an upside-down tree.)
How does your respiratory system work?
Your cells need oxygen to create energy. Creating energy releases carbon dioxide as a waste
product, which can harm your body if too much builds up. The main job of your respiratory
system is to bring oxygen into your lungs and move carbon dioxide out of them (gas exchange).
It works closely with your circulatory system — your heart, blood and blood vessels — to do
this.
Think of the oxygen in the air as passengers on millions of planes flying into your lungs every
time you breathe in. Your diaphragm pulls down, creating more space in your chest, which pulls
air (and its tiny oxygen cargo) into your lungs. The air travels through your mouth or nose and
Your respiratory system is made up of your lungs, airways (trachea,
bronchi and bronchioles), diaphragm, voice box, throat, nose and mouth.
Its main function is to breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide.
It also helps protect you from harmful particles and germs and allows
you to smell and speak
What is the respiratory system?
Your respiratory system is the organs and structures in your body that allow you to breathe. It
includes your lungs, nose, mouth and the tubelike structures (airways) that connect them. You
also have muscles and blood vessels that support your respiratory system, and ribs to protect it.
These parts work together to bring oxygen into your body when you inhale and get rid of carbon
dioxide when you exhale.
ADVERTISEMENT
Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support
our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy
Function
What is the main function of your respiratory system?
The main function of your respiratory system is to pull in oxygen for your body’s cells and get
rid of carbon dioxide, a waste product. You do this by breathing in and out and through gas
exchange between the small air sacs of your lungs (alveoli) and the blood vessels running
nearby. Your respiratory system also:
Warms and adds moisture to the air you breathe in. Your respiratory system warms the air to
match your body temperature. It moisturizes the air to bring it to the humidity level your body
needs.
Protects your body from particles you breathe in. Parts of your respiratory system can block
harmful germs and irritants from getting in — or push them out if they do get in.
Allows you to talk. Air vibrates your vocal cords, which makes sounds.
Helps you smell. Breathing in air moves its molecules past your olfactory nerve, which sends
messages to your brain about the way something smells.
Balances level of acidity in your body. Too much carbon dioxide lowers your blood’s pH, making
it acidic. By removing carbon dioxide, your respiratory system helps maintain the acid-base
balance in your body.
, Anatomy
What are the parts of the respiratory system?
The main organs of your respiratory system are your lungs. But your respiratory system has
many different parts that work together to help you breathe. Parts of your respiratory system
include your:
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Nose and nasal cavity.
Mouth and oral cavity.
Sinuses.
Pharynx (throat) .
Larynx (voice box) .
Trachea (windpipe).
Bronchi (large airways).
Lungs.
Diaphragm .
What’s your upper respiratory tract?
Your upper respiratory tract brings air into your body and helps move it toward your lungs. It
adds moisture to the air you breathe in. Your respiratory tract starts with your nose and mouth,
where you pull air into your body. Other parts of your upper respiratory tract include your nasal
cavity, sinuses (hollow areas in your cheeks and forehead) and larynx.
What’s your lower respiratory tract?
Your lower respiratory tract consists of your trachea, bronchi and lungs. Your trachea, bronchi
and bronchioles (small airways) make up your tracheobronchial (pronounced “tray-key-oh-
BRON-key-uhl”) tree, a series of increasingly smaller tubes that transport air from your upper
respiratory tract to small air sacs in your lungs (alveoli). (It looks a bit like an upside-down tree.)
How does your respiratory system work?
Your cells need oxygen to create energy. Creating energy releases carbon dioxide as a waste
product, which can harm your body if too much builds up. The main job of your respiratory
system is to bring oxygen into your lungs and move carbon dioxide out of them (gas exchange).
It works closely with your circulatory system — your heart, blood and blood vessels — to do
this.
Think of the oxygen in the air as passengers on millions of planes flying into your lungs every
time you breathe in. Your diaphragm pulls down, creating more space in your chest, which pulls
air (and its tiny oxygen cargo) into your lungs. The air travels through your mouth or nose and
