The functions of the respiratory system are select all that apply

Answer 1

- Gas exchange: The main function of the respiratory system is to facilitate the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the body and the external environment. This occurs through the process of respiration, where oxygen is taken in and carbon dioxide is eliminated.
- Regulation of blood pH: The respiratory system helps maintain the acid-base balance in the body by controlling the levels of carbon dioxide and bicarbonate ions in the blood. Carbon dioxide, a waste product of cellular metabolism, can combine with water to form carbonic acid, which can then dissociate into hydrogen ions and bicarbonate ions.
- Sense of smell: The respiratory system houses the olfactory receptors responsible for detecting odors. When airborne molecules enter the nasal cavity, they bind to these receptors and trigger the sense of smell.
- Phonation: The respiratory system, specifically the larynx, is involved in producing sound for speech. Air passing through the larynx causes the vocal cords to vibrate, generating sound waves that can be shaped into speech sounds by the muscles of the throat, tongue, and lips.
- Immune defense: The respiratory system helps protect the body against pathogens and foreign substances through various defense mechanisms. These include the secretion of mucus to trap particles and pathogens, the production of antimicrobial substances in the airways, and the presence of immune cells like macrophages and lymphocytes.
- Heat regulation: The respiratory system plays a minor role in regulating body temperature. During exhalation, the warm air leaving the body can help dissipate excess heat, contributing to temperature regulation.
- Pulmonary circulation: Although not a direct function of the respiratory system, the lungs also play a role in filtering and directing blood flow. With each breath, deoxygenated blood from the right side of the heart is oxygenated in the lungs before being returned to the left side of the heart for distribution to the body.