The respiratory system provides the body with the oxygen it needs. It also is the reason we can speak. Listed here are the major functions of the respiratory system. We will explain these functions in detail in later objectives.

It is important to introduce the four processes carried out by the respiratory system. These processes will be further explained in later objectives but we want to introduce them to have some familiarity with the terminology. The four processes carried out by the respiratory system are:

1. Pulmonary ventilation: moving air into and out of the lungs
2. External respiration: exchange of gases between the alveoli of the lungs and the blood
3. Transport of respiratory gases to the tissues
4. Internal respiration: exchange of gases between blood and tissue