Question

What is the pathway of oxygen to the lungs?

Answer 1

Lungs:

The lungs are the principal organs for gaseous exchange.

The following are involved in the passage of oxygen from the external environment to the lungs:

1. Mouth and nose: The mouth and nose are the parts via which oxygen enters the body.
2. Nasopharynx: Nasopharynx is a muscular, box-shaped passageway behind your nose, present just above the roof of your mouth.
3. Trachea: The passage connecting your throat and lungs is called the trachea.
4. Alveoli: Alveoli are highly vascularized, tiny sac-like structures.

The passage of oxygen takes the following route:

1. We inhale oxygen via nostrils which go down our throat via the nasopharynx.
2. From there it enters the trachea (windpipe), which is further divided into bronchial tubes.
3. The bronchial tube is further divided into bronchioles.
4. The bronchioles finally end in a tiny structure known as alveoli.
5. The alveoli are a structure where oxygen is exchanged between lungs and blood.
6. The oxygen is infused into the blood while carbon dioxide efflux takes place from the alveoli.