Humans breathe through

something called the

respiratory system. This
system is made up primarily
of our lungs and windpipe.

Why do we have to
breathe?
Our body is a very complex
system. One of the main
things it needs is energy.
When we eat our body
digests the food to get
complex molecules like
glucose, which it can use for
energy. However, food alone
isn't enough. The cells also
need oxygen to react with
the glucose to create the
energy. We get the oxygen
to our cells with the
respiratory system and by
breathing.
Breathing In
We breathe in using a
muscle called the
diaphragm. It flattens out
making our lungs expand and fill with air. When we breathe in, air gets forced through our nose
or mouth, down our windpipe, and into bronchi tubes in our lungs. These bronchi tubes branch
out and get smaller and smaller, like the roots or branches of a tree.

Alveoli
At the end of the smallest branches of the bronchi are tiny air sacs called alveoli. These air sacs
have a very thin, one cell thick wall that allows oxygen to be passed to red blood cells as they
are passing by. There are hundreds of millions of these tiny guys in our lungs.

Breathing Out
The alveoli don't just pass oxygen to our blood, they also help to clean out waste gas from our
blood cells. This waste gas is carbon dioxide. When we need to breathe the carbon dioxide out
of our lungs, the diaphragm bows up and pushes the air back out, getting rid of the carbon
dioxide. This makes room for fresh air with new oxygen to come back in on our next breath.

Our Nose
The nose does more for breathing than just providing a place for air to enter our body. It also
helps to filter the air of dust and other stuff. It does this by using lots of hairs and mucus. It also
helps warm up the air prior to getting to our lungs.

Why do we get out of breath?

When we run or do strenuous activity, our muscles burn energy and use up the oxygen in our
red blood cells. To try and get more energy and oxygen to these cells, our heart will pump
faster to get more blood through the lungs. At the same time our lungs will try to breathe harder
 and faster to get more oxygen. We end up feeling out of breath and have to take a rest so our
bodies can recover.

Talking
The respiratory system also helps with talking. We couldn't talk without air. By forcing air
through our vocal chords, the respiratory system helps them to vibrate and create sound like
talking, singing, or shouting.

USE THE WORDS IN THE BOX TO FILL IN THE BLANKS.

AIR OXYGEN INHALE EXHALE
LUNGS TRACHEA RESPIRATORY COUGH
CARBON DIOXIDE YAWN BRONCHI PHARYNX
HICCUP DIAPHRAGM WATER VAPOR NOSE
SNEEZE BLOOD MOUTH

All animals need ________________ to make energy from food. We get this oxygen from the
_____________ that we breathe. In order to get the oxygen into the blood where it can be
transported to the rest of the body, the air travels through a system of organs called the
_______________ system.

When you ________________, air enters the body through the _______________ or the
____________. From there it passes through the ______________, which forces air into the
_______________ and food into the esophagus. The air travels down the trachea into two branching
tubes called ________________ and then on into the ________________.

In the lungs oxygen from the air enters the _______________. At the same time, the waste gas
____________________ leaves the blood and then leaves the body when you ___________________.
Some __________________ also leaves the body when you exhale, which is why mirrors get foggy
when you breathe on them. The ______________ is the muscle that controls the lungs.

It is important to keep the respiratory system clear so oxygen can keep flowing into your body. If
something gets in your nose and irritates it, you ___________________. If something gets in your
trachea or bronchi and irritates it, you _________________. If something irritates your diaphragm,
you _________________. Finally, if the brain thinks you are not getting enough oxygen, then it forces
you to _________________.