Bronchus facts for kids
Bronchi are super important air tubes in your body. Think of them as the main highways that carry air from your windpipe (called the trachea) into your lungs. You have two main bronchi, one for each lung.
Here's how it works: Your trachea, which is like a big air pipe, splits into a right bronchus and a left bronchus. These main bronchi then branch out into smaller and smaller tubes, like the branches of a tree. These smaller tubes are called bronchioles.
At the very end of these tiny bronchioles are super small air sacs called alveoli. This is where the magic happens! When you breathe in, oxygen from the air travels all the way down through your bronchi and bronchioles to these alveoli. From the alveoli, oxygen moves into your blood. Your blood then carries this oxygen to every part of your body, because all your cells need oxygen to live and work. Without your bronchi, air couldn't reach your lungs, and your body wouldn't get the oxygen it needs!
The walls of your bronchi are made of a strong, flexible material called cartilage. This helps keep them open so air can flow freely.
Did you know that your right bronchus is a bit different from your left? The right bronchus is usually shorter, wider, and straighter than the left one.
Other pages to read
- Bronchitis: This is an illness that can make your bronchi swollen and irritated.
- Asthma: This is a common disease that can make your bronchi get narrower, making it harder to breathe.
- Bronchodilators: These are medicines that help your bronchi open up and get wider, especially if they've narrowed because of a condition like asthma.
Images for kids
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Cilia and much smaller microvilli on non-ciliated bronchiolar epithelium
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Cross-section of a secondary bronchus
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The left and right main bronchi sit behind the heart, shown here.
See also
In Spanish: Bronquio para niños
