What is the basic structure and function of the respiratory system?
The respiratory system starts with the nose, goes on to the trachea, divides into a left and right bronchus which lead to the lungs. The lungs are spongy in texture and are full of little tubes called bronchioli which terminate in alveoli. The lungs are situated in the pleural cavity, with the diaphragm at the base. The function of the respiratory system is to filter and warm the air breathed in, extract as much oxygen as possible, exchanging it for carbon dioxide for breathing out.
