Respiratory System Functions and Structures

The respiratory system's primary function is to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide between the body and the environment. This process occurs in the lungs' respiratory division, while the conducting division, including the nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and bronchioles, serves as air passageways. The nasal cavity filters and warms air, while the pharynx and larynx manage air and food passage, preventing aspiration. The bronchial tree regulates airflow, and the alveoli facilitate gas exchange with blood capillaries. Protective mechanisms include mucus, cilia, and immune cells.

What is the primary role of the respiratory system?

• To produce hormones

• To exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide

• To circulate blood throughout the body

• To digest food

What is the function of the nasal conchae?

• To filter blood

• To produce sound

• To increase surface area for air contact

• To store oxygen

How does the pharynx contribute to the immune system?

• By filtering blood

• By producing white blood cells

• By housing tonsils that respond to pathogens

• By producing antibodies

What prevents food from entering the airway during swallowing?

• The nasal conchae

• The epiglottis

• The bronchioles

• The trachea

What is the role of the mucociliary escalator?

• To produce mucus

• To move mucus and trapped particles toward the throat

• To exchange gases in the alveoli

• To transport oxygen to the blood

What happens to the airways during exercise?

• They collapse to conserve energy

• They constrict to reduce airflow

• They dilate to increase airflow

• They produce more mucus

Where does the gas exchange process occur in the respiratory system?

• In the trachea

• In the nasal cavity

• In the bronchi

• In the alveoli

What is the function of type II cells in the alveoli?

• To transport oxygen

• To secrete surfactant

• To produce mucus

• To allow rapid gas diffusion

What role do macrophages play in the alveoli?

• They produce surfactant

• They engulf inhaled particles

• They transport carbon dioxide

• They secrete mucus

What is the purpose of surfactant in the alveoli?

• To produce mucus

• To transport oxygen

• To lower surface tension and prevent collapse

• To increase surface tension