What happens to air as it passes from the outside environment to the lungs?

Answer 1

Despite our inability to breathe underwater, we humans cannot extract oxygen from dry air as effectively as we can from moist air. Also, colder air is harder for us to deal with. So, the air that we breathe is both warmed and moistened as it makes its way to the lungs. It also filtered through the hair, cillia and mucus membranes in our repiratory tracts. This helps keep things out of our lungs that we don't want to get in.

Answer 2

Air enters the body through the two external nostrils where dust and foreign particles are trapped by the hairs and mucus, thereby rendering the air relatively clean.

At the end of the nasal passages, the air passes into the pharynx, to the larynx and then into the trachea.

Air then passes into one of the two bronchus diverging from the end of the trachea. As the bronchus branches out within the lungs, the air then passes into the bronchioles. Air eventually reaches the alveoli located deep in the lungs.

The alveoli are a cluster of air sacs located at the end of each bronchioles. Oxygen molecules in the air first dissolve in the thin film of moisture in the interior surfaces of the alveolar epithelial cells then diffuse across the these cells and then across the capillary endothelial cells to reach the bloodstream. In the bloodstream, oxygen molecules combine with haemoglobin in red blood cells to form a compound called oxyhaemoglobin.

The oxygen is then transported to the rest of the body.

Answer 3

On its way to the lungs the air is warmed, moisturized, and somewhat cleaned as particles are trapped by nose hairs and mucus linings of nasal passages and trachea.

Answer 4

The red blood cells will pick up oxygen in the air and dump carbon dioxide back into the air. Then this mixture is breathed back out.

Answer 5

if you mean what actually happens to the air as it is traveling down the respiratory airways, then the air will get humidified and warm before it reaches the lungs. this is why you get runny nose during cold weather.