Year 8 Organisms
This term, the year 8 students at Penwortham Girls’ have taken a deep breath and dived into the fascinating world of the human respiratory system, exploring the incredible organs responsible for helping us breathe; the lungs.
The human respiratory system is an intricate network of organs and tissues that work together to bring oxygen into our bodies and remove waste gases, such as carbon dioxide. At the centre of this system are the lungs, which play a vital role in keeping us alive and kicking.
You might already know that we breathe through our nose and mouth, but have you ever wondered where the air goes next? Well, as you inhale, the air travels down the windpipe, also known as the trachea, which splits into two tubes called bronchi. These bronchi branch out further into smaller and smaller tubes called bronchioles, eventually reaching millions of tiny air sacs called alveoli.
Now, here comes the cool part! The alveoli are like tiny balloons in your lungs. They are surrounded by a network of blood vessels called capillaries. When you breathe in, oxygen from the air passes through the thin walls of the alveoli and enters the bloodstream, where it binds to red blood cells. These oxygen-rich blood cells then travel throughout your body, delivering much-needed oxygen to all your organs and tissues.
But what about the waste gases? Well, when your body uses oxygen for energy, it produces carbon dioxide as a by-product. This carbon dioxide, which is considered a waste gas, is carried by your blood back to the lungs. In the lungs, the carbon dioxide crosses from the blood vessels into the alveoli and is then expelled when you exhale. It’s like a little detox for your body!
You might be wondering, how does our body know when to breathe? Well, that’s where the respiratory control centre in the brain comes into play. This remarkable control centre constantly monitors the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in our blood. If the oxygen levels are low or the carbon dioxide levels are high, it sends signals to the muscles involved in breathing, telling them to work harder and increase the rate of breathing. It’s like having a built-in alarm system that keeps us in balance.
Now that we know a bit about the respiratory system, it’s important to take care of our lungs. Here are a few tips to keep your respiratory system healthy:
- Don’t smoke or use tobacco products: Smoking damages your lungs and increases the risk of respiratory diseases.
- Exercise regularly: Physical activity strengthens your lungs and improves their efficiency.
- Avoid exposure to pollutants: Stay away from areas with heavy pollution and try to breathe in clean air as much as possible.
So take a moment to appreciate your incredible respiratory system and the hard work that your lungs do every single day. Remember to treat them well, and they’ll keep you breathing smoothly and enjoying all of life’s adventures!
Mr Coogan
Science Department
