THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

GRADE 9 – PAGES 25 – 29 & 60 - 71

THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

The nose and trachea are responsible for

protecting the lungs against inhaled particles.
The hairs found in these areas trap dust
particles and these particles are removed
from the body through sneezing or through a
substance called mucus (slippery fluid
substance, think of when you blow your nose,
that is mucus).
DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE RESPITATORY SYSTEM

❑ Nasal passage: blood vessels warm blood

❑ Epiglottis: prevents objects going down the wrong tube (trachea)
❑ Pleura: has fluids which prevent friction
❑ Rib cage: surround the lungs for protection
❑ Diaphragm: exhalation. When raised it pushes the lungs upwards which
then forces air out.
❑ Larynx: when air passes through the larynx a sound is made.
❑ Trachea: has C-shaped cartilage rings which keep the trachea open.
 Bronchi, bronchus
and bronchioles

❖ The trachea divides into two branches at the chest,

they are called bronchi {this is the plural form,
singularly they are referred to as the left bronchus
and the right bronchus}. Allow air into each lung.
❖ The bronchi divide into even smaller branches called
the bronchioles. Smallest tube leading to air sacs. At
the edges of the bronchioles are the alveoli.
❖ The lungs are made up of millions of tiny air sacs
called alveoli. A bunch of alveolus’ form an alveoli
right bronchus (plural) and they are surrounded by a network of
capillaries
❖ An alveolus (singular) refers to one of the air sacs of
 Processes of the respiratory system

1. Breathing: the ribs and diaphragm are used to draw air into the lungs (inhalation).
During inhalation the ribs are lifted upward and outward and the diaphragm
contracts (flattens/ moves downwards) in order to increase the space in you chest
cavity to make provision for the expanding lungs. During exhalation (pushing air
out) the ribs move inward and downward and the diaphragm relaxes (returns to its
normal curved shape).
2. Gaseous exchange: happens by diffusion on the inner surface of the lungs.
Oxygen from the oxygen-rich air breathed in is swapped for carbon dioxide that has
been made in the body.
3. Respiration: all cells of the body receive oxygen from the blood in a process that
releases energy. Carbon dioxide is the waste product that must be removed.
https://youtu.be/iUuNtfdJDTY
 What on earth is
diffusion???

Diffusion is the movement of particles from an area of high concentration to an

area of lower concentration until dynamic equilibrium is reached.
E.g. You are in a room with a friend. You are on one side of the room and your friend is
on the opposite side of the room. When you spray deodorant on your body, initially
only you will smell the deodorant, but after a while, your friend who is at the opposite
end of the room will smell it. This is because the deodorant particles moved from a
place of high concentration (where you initially sprayed it) to a place of low
concentration (where your friend is standing) until the smell is evenly distributed
throughout the room.
 GAS EXCHANGE IN THE LUNGS
TAKES PLACE IN THE ALVEOLI
HOW GAS EXCHANGE TAKES PLACE?
❖ Deoxygenated blood flows into the
lungs.
❖ Inside the alveoli there is fresh air which
contains 1/5 of oxygen.
❖ Oxygen dissolves in the thin layer of
water lining the alveolus, then diffuses
into the blood. Substances diffuse from a
region of high concentration to one of a
lower concentration. There is a high
concentration of oxygen in the
alveolus and a low concentration of
CO2
O2 oxygen in the blood; therefore oxygen
diffuses into the blood.
Fig 4.4 page 63 of your textbook
How does the Corona virus (COVID19) affect the lungs?
 COVID19 causes an infection the bronchial tree of the lungs. The bronchial tree refers to
the branch-like structure in the lungs. This includes the bronchi, bronchioles and the
alveoli.
 COVID19 damages the lining of the respiratory tree, this irritates the airway and leads to
the dry cough, which is one of the symptoms of the virus.
 In severe cases COVID19 affects the process of gas exchange:
- Gas exchange takes place around the alveoli. It allows oxygen to diffuse into the blood
and carbon dioxide to diffuse out of the blood and into the alveoli. The carbon dioxide is
then exhaled back out into the atmosphere.
- If gas exchange is disrupted, then our bodies become unable to inhale the oxygen
needed by the body cells to create energy for normal bodily function; and exhale carbon
dioxide that the body does not need.
- Ventilators are provided to some COVID19 patients to assist them with breathing. A
ventilator (also called a respirator/ breathing machine) is medical device that provides
patients with oxygen when they are unable to breathe on their own.
How does the Corona virus (COVID 19) affect
the lungs?

BRONCHIAL TREE
 HEALTH ISSUES

LUNG CANCER
❖ 1/5 deaths are due to smoking
❖ Cigarette smoke contains many chemicals that are sucked down into the lungs.

ASTHMA
❖ A disease in which your breathing tubes become more sensitive than normal to some
substances in the air.
❖ During an asthma attack the breathing tubes become narrow, making it difficult to breath
enough air in and out.
 HEALTH ISSUES

BRONCHITIS
❖ Inflammation or swelling of the bronchial tubes
❖ Due to living in an area with a lot of air pollution.
Polluting particles damage the protective lining of the
breathing tubes allowing microbes in >>> inflammation
of the bronchi.
ASBESTOS
❖ Caused by asbestos fibres entering the lungs during
inhalation
Answer the following questions based on the following pages of your textbook;
pages 25-29

Components
1. Name the specialised organs that are responsible for gas exchange.
2. Air enters the body though which TWO body parts?
3. The body parts you mentioned in QUESTION 2 connect to which body part at
the back of the throat?
4. What is the function of the hairs in the nasal cavity?
5. What is the function of the trachea?
6. What is the shape and function of cartilage?
7. Name the branches the trachea divides into by the chest.
8. Which lung is bigger between the left and right lungs?
9. What is the transport medium that is responsible for transporting oxygen
from the lungs to the cells of the body and returning carbon dioxide from the
cells to the lungs.
10.List the pathway of air to the lungs.
11.Define diffusion
12.Provide the name of the muscle that the lungs lie above.
HEALTH ISSUES
1. Provide a definition for asthma
2. Describe the things that take place during an asthma attack.
3. What bad habit causes lung cancer?
4. Bronchitis is a disease that normally affects people living in which areas?
5. How does a person get bronchitis?
6. What is bronchitis?
7. What is asbestos and what is it used for?
8. The fibres found in asbestos are harmful to the lungs in what way?
9. Which part of the respiratory system gets affected by COVID 19?
10. List the symptoms of COVID19
11. Describe the process of gas exchange.
12. What causes some COVID 19 patients to become unable to inhale
oxygen?
13. What apparatus is used to assist patients that are struggling to inhale
oxygen on their own?
 CIRCULATORY AND RESPIRATORY SYSTEMS
Answer the following questions, pages 60 - 71

Gaseous exchange in the lungs:

1. How is the volume of the lungs made bigger?
2. Provide the biological term for the tiny air sacs found in the lungs.
3. Which type of blood vessel surrounds each alveolus?
4. The artery moving TOWARDS the alveolus is highly concentrated with which
gas?
5. The vein carrying blood AWAY from the alveolus goes to which organ? Which
gas is highly concentrated in this vein?
6. Which process moves oxygen into the blood, from the alveolus?
 CIRCULATORY AND RESPIRATORY SYSTEMS

Oxygen is transported to the body cells:

1. Oxygenated blood coming from the lungs is transported to which side of
the Heart?
2. Name the blood vessel that carries oxygenated blood from the lungs to the
heart.

Gaseous exchange in the tissues swaps oxygen for carbon dioxide:

1. What is the biological term given to the smallest blood vessels in the
human body?
2. In which process do cells take up the oxygen they have absorbed from the
blood?
 CIRCULATORY AND RESPIRATORY SYSTEMS
Respiration happens in the mitochondria:
1. What products are formed during respiration?
2. What are the requirements of respiration?
3. Does respiration take place in an animal cell or in a plant cell?
4. In which organelle does respiration take place?
Carbon dioxide is transported back to the lungs:
1. Name the gas that is a waste product of respiration.
2. How does carbon dioxide move from the cell into the blood? Why is this possible?
3. Deoxygenated blood is transported to which side of the heart?
4. Name the blood vessel that transports deoxygenated blood to the heart.
5. List the SIX processes that represent gas exchange, circulation and respiration