What are the lungs and why they’re important
Your lungs help you breathe, bringing in oxygen that your body uses for energy and getting rid of carbon dioxide you don’t need.
Parts of the lungs and breathing helpers
- Nose or mouth — where air enters.
- Trachea (windpipe) — a tube that air goes down.
- Bronchi — two big tubes, one to each lung.
- Bronchioles — lots of tiny tubes inside the lungs.
- Alveoli — tiny air sacs where oxygen enters blood and carbon dioxide leaves.
- Diaphragm and chest muscles — important muscles that help you breathe.
How air moves in and out
- When you inhale, the diaphragm contracts and moves down. The chest cavity gets bigger, and air rushes into your lungs.
- When you exhale, the diaphragm relaxes and moves up. The chest cavity gets smaller, and air leaves your lungs.
- The air travels down the trachea, into the bronchi, then through the bronchioles to reach the alveoli.
What happens in the alveoli
Alveoli are tiny sacs surrounded by capillaries. Oxygen passes from the air in the alveoli into the blood, while carbon dioxide moves from the blood into the alveoli to be breathed out.
How your blood uses the oxygen
Red blood cells carry the oxygen from the lungs to every cell in your body. They drop off oxygen and pick up carbon dioxide to bring back to the lungs.
Breathing during exercise and keeping lungs healthy
When you exercise, you breathe faster to get more oxygen and remove carbon dioxide faster. Avoid smoking and stay active to keep your lungs strong.