A Look Inside Your Lungs
Your two lungs are the same size.
True
False
Your two lungs are the same size.
Your right lung is bigger because your heart takes up a lot of space on your left side. Both are divided into sections called lobes, and your right lung has three of these, while your left has two. Together, they weigh less than 3 pounds.
How many gallons of air do you breathe in each day?
About 500
Between 2,100 and 2,900
More than 2,600
How many gallons of air do you breathe in each day?
That air puts much-needed oxygen into your bloodstream. If you stop breathing for longer than 4 minutes, it can permanently damage your organs.
As you age, your lungs hold less air.
True
False
As you age, your lungs hold less air.
Your lungs are at their peak when you’re in your 20s to mid 30s. After that, your diaphragm gets weaker and your lung tissue can’t stretch as well.
The work of breathing is done by the:
Diaphragm
Windpipe
Arteries
The work of breathing is done by the:
The diaphragm is a wall of muscle just below your lungs. It separates your chest from your abdomen. When you breathe in, it pushes downward, letting air into your lungs. When you breathe out, it pushes upward, helping you release carbon dioxide.
Your breathing is controlled by your:
Lungs
Diaphragm
Brain
Your breathing is controlled by your:
An area in your brain tells your body when to breathe. It sends signals to your muscles and lungs. If your brain doesn’t send the right signals, you can stop breathing. If this happens to you regularly while you sleep, you may have a condition called central sleep apnea.
These are the lungs’ first line of defense against toxins:
Tiny hairs
Bacteria
White blood cells
These are the lungs’ first line of defense against toxins:
When your lungs breathe in air, they also pull in germs and dirt that cling to mucus lining your airways. Tiny hairs, called cilia, wave around to bring the mucus up so you can cough it out or swallow it.
If your lungs are facing a bigger threat, like an infection, white blood cells get into the fight.
Pneumonia is an infection that fills your lungs with:
Carbon dioxide
Blood
Fluid
Pneumonia is an infection that fills your lungs with:
Pneumonia makes it hard for your lungs to get oxygen to your blood. This can keep your cells from getting what they need to work like they’re supposed to. About a third of the time, the infection is caused by a virus. But bacteria and fungi also can cause it. Most people get over it in a few weeks, but it can be life-threatening for babies, young children, adults over 65, and anyone with a serious health problem or a weak immune system.
You get asthma and bronchitis in your:
Airways
Lungs
Diaphragm
You get asthma and bronchitis in your:
Both of these conditions make your airways swell and keep air from getting to your lungs. That can make it hard for you to breathe.
You can get bronchitis from a virus, a bacterial infection, or by breathing in something that bothers your lungs.
Doctors don’t know exactly what causes asthma, and it can’t be cured. But you can manage it with medication and by avoiding things that trigger attacks.