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Lesson 2 Summary
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Lesson 2: What is the respiratory system?

Vocabulary
mucus a sticky, thick fluid that traps dust, germs, and other things that
may be in the air
trachea a tube that carries air from the throat to the lungs
bronchioles tubes that branch out from the bronchi
air sacs tiny thin-walled pouches in the lungs

Your body cells need oxygen. Your cells

make another gas called carbon dioxide.
Your respiratory system carries these gases
in and out of your body. Your respiratory
system works when you breathe.
Air enters the respiratory system through
the nose or mouth. Then the air goes from
the throat into the larynx. The vocal cords
are in the larynx. Your vocal cords move
when you speak.
Air travels from the larynx into the
trachea. The trachea carries air to the
lungs. The trachea leads to two branches
called bronchi that go into the lungs. The
bronchi branch into smaller tubes called
bronchioles.
Air sacs are at the end of each
bronchiole. Air sacs are like tiny bags of
air. They have very thin walls. Air sacs are
where oxygen enters the blood and carbon
dioxide leaves the blood.
Mucus coats many parts of the
respiratory system. Mucus is a sticky, thick
liquid that traps dust and germs.

How You Breathe

Many muscles work together when you
breathe. The diaphragm tightens and
moves down when you breathe in. This
makes more space in your chest. Air fills
this new space.

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Chapter 3, Lesson 2 Summary

The diaphragm loosens when you breathe

out. This makes less space in your chest.
Air is pushed out and leaves the respiratory
system through the mouth or nose.

Respiratory and Circulatory

Systems Work Together
How do your cells get the oxygen they
need? The respiratory system and the
circulatory system work together.
First, the respiratory system brings
oxygen from the air into your body. This
happens when you breathe in. Air comes
into your lungs. It fills your air sacs.
Then the circulatory system starts to
work. Blood picks up oxygen from the air
sacs. It carries the oxygen to every body
cell. Cells produce carbon dioxide when
they use oxygen. Blood also carries this
waste back to the air sacs. The carbon
dioxide leaves your body when you breathe
out.
The chart on page 72 in your textbook
explains some diseases of the respiratory
system. For example, a cold is caused by
a virus. Signs of a cold are a runny nose
and sneezing. Tuberculosis is caused by
bacteria. Signs of tuberculosis are a cough,
fever, and shortness of breath. Lung cancer
is caused by tobacco and chemicals.

Quick Study

Pearson Education, Inc. 5

Parts of the Respiratory System

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Lesson 2 Checkpoint
Use with pp. 7073

Lesson 2 Checkpoint
1. What is the job of the air sacs?

2. Describe how the respiratory and circulatory systems work together.

3. Identify common diseases of the respiratory system and their causes.

Sequence What is the order of structures that oxygen passes

through between your nose and bloodstream?

Pearson Education, Inc. 5

4.

Quick Study

Chapter 3, Lesson 2 Checkpoint

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