The respiratory system is pivotal to every human being. This is because, without it, life outside the womb is impossible. T herefore , u nderstand ing the structure of th is system and why it is vital to life is very important . During the process of inspiration or exhalation, air is pu shed away from or towards the lungs via various cavities, openings, and tubes. Th rough the respiratory system , oxygen enters the body while carbon dioxide leave s . T he human respiratory system is divided into two main parts . These are the upper and lower respiratory tract.
Upper respiratory tract
The upper respiratory tract is inclusive of , amongst other parts, nostrils, nasal cavities, epiglottis coupled with the larynx. Accordingly, the central function of the upper respiratory tract is to receive air from the external environment. Additional to receiving air, the tract filters, warms and makes air humid before it reach es the delicate lungs in which gaseous exchange takes place . Therefore, a ir enters the nostrils and is slightly filtered by the evident nose hairs before flow ing into the human nasal cavity. The nasal cavity , according to Feldman et al. , (2013) is lined with the epithelial tissue. He f urther emphasizes that the epithelial tissue contains blood vessels that assist in warming the air and secreting mucus that further filters the air. The e ndothelial lining of the human nasal cavity also has tiny hair-like projections known as cilia. The cilia serve the purpose of transporting dust contained in the mucous to the posterior of the nasal cavity ( Ionescu, 2013). At the back of the nasal cavity, the mucus can be coughed out, swallowed or digested by the stomach acids. Consequently, after air passes through the nasal cavity, it flows down from the pharynx to the larynx.
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L 
ower respiratory tract
Sherwood (2015) asserts that the lower respiratory tract commences with the larynx. As such, the larynx is inclusive of the trachea, two bronchi that divide from the trachea and t he lungs. It is in the lower respiratory tract that gaseous exchang e occurs . T e larynx is also known as the voice box and denotes the organ in the neck that protect s the trachea and is used in the production of sound. T he larynx also undertakes the role of housing the vocal cords ( Smith et al. , 2013). It is located below where the tract of the human pharynx splits into the trachea and the esophagus. The larynx is inclusive of two vital structures . These are the epiglottis and vocal cords.
The epiglotti s can be defined as a flap of cartilage that is situated at the opening to the human larynx ( Smith et al. , 2013). In the process of swallowing, larynx closes to guard the lungs against the swallowed material. The organ is also pulled upwards to assist the process of swallowing . Likewise, s timulation of the human larynx through the ingested material results in strong cough reflex to prevent the lungs. The v ocal codes, on the other hand, consist of two folds of connective tissue that stretch and vibrat e in the instance that air passes through hence resulting in vocalization. As such, the lengths of the vocal cords are stretched and determine the pitch of the sound. The strength of the expiration from human lungs contributes to the loudness of the given sound. The capability in human being s to have voluntary control over the respiratory system plays a significant role in enabling them to either speak or sing. However, f or the larynx to operate and produce sound, air is needed .
Homeostasis and gaseous exchange
H omeostasis is maintained through the respiratory system in two main ways . These are gaseous exchange and regulation of the blood p H ( Smith et al. , 2013) . The former occurs in the lungs through the elimination of carbon dioxide which is a waste product of cellular respiration. As the carbon dioxide leaves the body, oxygen that is needed for cellular respiration enter s the b 
ody via the lungs.
According to Sherwood (2015), the ATP emanating from cellular respiration is essential in the provision of energy to perform diverse function s such as muscle contraction and nerve conduction. Without enough oxygen, brain function, sense of judgment and other problems are likely to occur . Gas exchange in the lungs coupled with alveoli occurs between the alveolar air and the blood available in the pulmonary capillaries.
Conclusion
T he respiratory system as evident above is critical for every human being. Through the respiratory system , human beings can live and conduct normal body functions. As such, the inhaled oxygen plays a pivotal role in the production of energy that is vital to life. In the process of inhalation and exhalation, gaseous exchange occurs aided by both the lower and upper respiratory tracts.
Prompts
T he human respiratory system is crucial for the sustenance of normal bodily function. Therefore knowledge of this vital system is essential for all human beings . However , the audience in this description is not only students but also the public at large. The interest towards comprehending how the respiratory system works is important to necessitate appreciation of the various body parts involved. Likewise, the interest is fuelled by the central role played by the system in the day to day lives of individuals. Subsequently , it’s only through the respiratory system that humans can survive outside the womb . Therefore, the fundamental role of the respiratory system can not be underestimated .
T he investigative strategies used in the compilation of the description include a n analysis of all the secondary information available on the respiratory system and the u s e of various online sources . Likewise, there was p articipat ion in team -based discussions to understand the respiratory system further . On the other hand, visual aids were used in the description. T he v isuals were used to assist the reader in hav ing a clear understanding of how the respiratory system works . The p ictures, therefore, pr ovide a detailed approach to comprehending the respiratory system. Moreover, description of the upper and lower respiratory tracts vi a images simplifies the flow of information . It also assists a reader to r elat e the picture to its description , hence fostering better understanding.
References
Feldman, J. L., Del Negro, C. A., & Gray, P. A. (2013). Understanding the rhythm of breathing: so near yet so far. Annual review of physiology , 75 , 423.
Ionescu, C. M. (2013). The human respiratory system. In The Human Respiratory System (pp. 13-22). Springer London.
Sherwood, L. (2015). Human physiology: from cells to systems . Cengage learning. California
Smith, J. C., Abdala, A. P., Borgmann, A., Rybak, I. A. , & Paton, J. F. (2013). Brainstem respiratory networks: building blocks and microcircuits. Trends in Neurosciences , 36 (3), 152-162.
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