Lungs
The human body's oxygen provider
What are they?
The lungs are part of the respiratory and circulatory system (it is mostly part of the respiratory system though it is a big part of the circulatory system too). It is a vital organ in our body, storing the fresh oxygen needed for the body parts. Without it, you can't supply oxygen to the body, which means certain death. There is no way around that.
Function of the Lungs
The function of the lungs is to maintain the body's respiration. Billions of tiny alveoli in the lungs (tiny air sacs) hold all of the oxygen in the lungs. The aveoli are very thin. The only things covering it is an aveoli wall and a capillary wall. The oxygen travels from the capillaries surrounding the aveoli into the bloodstream so the body can use the oxygen. Without the lungs, the blood won't be able to transfer the oxygen throughout the body thus lacking energy and soon, your life will come to an end. First, the air enters your trachea (windpipe). Then it separates into two bronchi (one for each lung). At the very end of the bronchi, where there are bronchioles, there are the tiny aveoli which transfers the oxygen into the bloodstream.
Parts of the Lungs
Aveoli
This is where the oxygen goes into the bloodstream and the carbon dioxide in the bloodstream goes to.
Complete Diagram of Lungs
This shows the outer and inner parts of the lungs!
Basic Parts of the Lungs
See the main parts of the lungs and where they are located.
Watch this Great Video! http://youtu.be/Aw9OJLTlClQ
How does it hold so much oxygen?
Pleura are very thin membranes that surround the lungs in order to protect them while it slides back and forth while you breathe in and out. The diaphragm doesn't surround the lungs, but it helps with the sliding too. So why do the lungs move? Whenever you inhale, an extra amount of air enters the lungs, so it must expand in order to hold it. When you exhale, the lungs don't need as much space, so it contracts. If the lungs can't expand or contract, you won't be able to breathe as easily. The air in the lungs go to the alveoli in the lungs, From there, the oxygen goes to the bloodstream.