Title: Identify major structures and functions of the respiratory system.
Course: Nurse Aide I (14051-1) > Section: Understanding Body Systems and Disorders

Identification should include the structures and functions of the respiratory system as follows:

- The nose functions to warm, moisten, and filter air.
- The pharynx is the passageway for air and food.
- The larynx functions as the voice box.
- The trachea and bronchi function to convey air into the lungs.
- Alveoli are the air sacs where gas exchange occurs.

Refer to Unit VII in Nurse Aide Curriculum, Virginia Board of Nursing, Virginia Department of Health Professions, 2018.

Process/Skill Questions:

- What is the function of the diaphragm in the breathing process?
- What happens to oxygen when the hemoglobin is low? Why?
- How many alveoli are present in the lungs?
- How do the alveoli play a major role in emphysema?