Vocabulary | Meaning |
adenoids | collection of lymph tissue in the nasopharynx; also called pharyngeal tonsils |
alveolus | air sac in the lung |
apex of the lung | uppermost portion of the lung |
base of the lung | lower portion of the lung |
bronchioles | smallest branches of the bronchi |
bronchus | branch of the trachea that is a passageway into the air spaces of the lung; bronchial tube |
carbon dioxide | a gas produced by body cells when oxygen and food combine; exhaled through the lungs |
cilia | thin hairs attached to the mucous membrane epithelium lining the respiratory tract |
diaphragm | muscles separating the chest and abdomen. most important muscle for breathing |
epiglottis | lid-like piece of cartilage that covers the larynx, preventing food from entering the larynx and trachea during swallowing |
exipration | breathing out |
glottis | opening to the larynx |
hilum (of lung) | midline region where the bronchi, blood vessels, and nerves enter and exit the lungs |
inspiration | breathing in |
larynx | voice box |
lobe | division of a lung |
mediastinum | region between the lungs in the chest cavity, contains trachea, heart, aorta, esophagus, bronchial tubes |
oxygen | gas that passes into the bloodstream at the lungs and travels to all body cells |
palatine tonsil | one of a pair of almond-shapes masses of lymphoid tissue in the oropharynx |
paranasal sinus | one of the air cavities in the bones near the nose |
parietal pleura | the outer fold of pleura lying closest to the ribs and wall of the thoracic cavity |
pharynx | throat, composed of the nasopharynx and laryngopharynx |
pleura | double-folded membrane surrounding each lunch |
pleural cavity | space between the folds of the pleura |
pulmonary parenchyma | the essential cells of the lung, those performing its main function; the air sacs and small bronchioles |
trachea | windpipe |
visceral pleura | the inner fold of pleura lying closest to the lung tissue |