What the Lungs really are

Its automatic for us to breathe in and out, but what goes on inside us is much more complicated. Here is what really goes on

and other particles that enter the nose with the breathed air. As air is inhaled, the cilia move backwards and forwards, pushing any impurities like dust either toward the nostrils, where it is blown out, or taken down into the digestive system and filtered out of the

First lets define some terms which will be used later in the article. The diaphragm is a sheet of internal skeletal muscle that extends across the bottom of the rib cage. The diaphragm can stretch and change shape, allowing us to breathe in and out. The 12 ribs, six on each side of the body, are curved bones which protect the thoracic cavity (where the lungs and heart are housed). These ribs move when we breathe. The ribs also protect the the heart and lungs. Intercostal Muscles are situated in between each of the ribs. They contract and expand during inhalation and exhalation. The pleural membrane is a serous membrane. A serous membrane is one which is smooth, consisting of a thin layer of cells which excrete serous fluid. This serous fluid and pleural membrane line and enclose the pleural cavity (the body cavity that surrounds the lungs) to reduce friction for muscle movement. Pleural fluid is the serous fluid which surrounds the lungs in particular. Too much pleural fluid can impair breathing. On the top of the right hand column is a diagram of the lungs with some of these parts labeled on, along with some other parts. The Cilia are tiny hairs which protect the nasal passages and other parts of the respiratory tract, filtering out dust

body like any other

impurities. Mucus is a slippery substance which helps protect the body against harmful organisms such as viruses, fungi, and bacteria. Mucus lines the stomach, getting rid of bad things as they enter the stomach.

Above: Mucus cells lining the stomach So, all these things help to make the body quick and efficient, end are crucial

for our survival. If the cilia didnt exist, wed be inhaling all sorts of rubbish we dont want, and without the ribs and the intercostal muscles, breathing wouldnt work in the same way. Heres some information on how volume and pressure of the thorax change when we breathe. If we didnt have the ribs and intercostal muscles, this would be a lot different as there wouldnt be anything to stretch and increase the volume of the thorax. When we inhale, the volume inside the airtight thorax is increased. This causes the pressure to drop. Air is pushed in by the higher pressure outside, via the nose and mouth. The diaphragm contracts and flattens, and so do the external intercostal muscles. The internal intercostal muscles relax, causing the ribs to move up and out. In this way, as described above, the pressure of the thorax decreases, and the volume inside increases, drawing air in. When we inhale, the process is pretty much just reversed. The volume of the thorax decreases, and the pressure increases as the stretched elastic tissue of the lungs recoils and the contents of the abdomen push upward. Air then flows outwards. In this way, as described above, the pressure of the thorax increases once again, and the volume inside decreases, pushing air out. Opposite are two diagrams showing this process.

We must now talk about the difference between gas exchange, ventilation and respiration. The common misconception that they are either all the same, or there is not much difference between them, is wrong. Gas Exchange is where gases from within an organism are exchanged for those in the atmosphere. In humans, this happens in the alveoli, in the lungs. Oxygen diffuses from the air in the alveoli into the blood. Carbon dioxide (a waste product of respiration) diffuses from the blood into the alveoli to be expelled from the body. Ventilation is the rate at which gas enters or leaves the lungs. It is also the exchange of air between the lungs and the atmosphere so that oxygen can be exchanged for carbon dioxide in the alveoli (the tiny air sacs in the lungs). The latter is called alveolar ventilation. Respiration is the interchange of gases between an organism and the environment in which it lives. It is also, and in humans, a chemical process that happens in every single cell, converting glucose into energy. That concludes this article, hopefully this has explained about the basic ways in which the lungs work.