What are the lungs and airways like?

Lungs

* The lungs are a pair of large, spongy organs located on either side of the heart.

* The lungs are made up of millions of tiny air sacs called alveoli.

* The alveoli are lined with capillaries, which are tiny blood vessels.

* Oxygen from the air we breathe diffuses across the alveoli and into the capillaries.

* Carbon dioxide from the blood diffuses across the alveoli and into the air we exhale.

Airways

* The airways are a series of tubes that carry air to and from the lungs.

* The airways include the nose, mouth, pharynx, larynx, trachea, and bronchi.

* The trachea is also known as the windpipe.

* The bronchi are the branches of the trachea that lead to the lungs.

* The alveoli are the smallest air sacs in the lungs.

* The alveoli are lined with capillaries, which are tiny blood vessels.

* Oxygen from the air we breathe diffuses across the alveoli and into the capillaries.

* Carbon dioxide from the blood diffuses across the alveoli and into the air we exhale.

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