Human Lung

Quick Answer: A human lung model is an anatomical teaching model of the paired lungs, usually shown with the trachea and main bronchi, that lets students see the lobes, fissures and surfaces of each lung. It is used in biology, nursing and anatomy classes to teach the structure of the respiratory organs.

Right and Left Lungs Are Not Mirror Images

The first thing a human lung model makes plain is that the two lungs differ. The right lung is divided by an oblique fissure and a horizontal fissure into three lobes: upper, middle and lower. The left lung has only an oblique fissure and two lobes, and its front edge is cut away by the cardiac notch where the heart pushes into the left side of the chest. A tongue-like projection below the notch, the lingula, is the left lung’s counterpart of the right middle lobe.

Each lung has a rounded apex that rises just above the clavicle, a broad base resting on the dome of the diaphragm, a costal surface against the ribs and a medial surface facing the heart. On the medial surface, the hilum is where the main bronchus, pulmonary artery and pulmonary veins enter or leave, bound together as the root of the lung. Models of this kind vary in how much of the trachea and bronchial tree they include and whether the lungs separate, so check the form of this listing before ordering.

Following the airway down, the trachea divides at the carina into the right and left main bronchi. The right main bronchus is shorter, wider and more vertical, which is why inhaled foreign bodies more often lodge on the right. The bronchi then branch into lobar and segmental bronchi and finally into bronchioles and alveoli, where gas exchange takes place; these last are microscopic and are taught with enlarged models or slides rather than a whole-lung model.

Specifications

Applications

• Introducing the respiratory system and the differences between the right and left lungs
• Showing the root of the lung at the hilum when teaching the pulmonary circulation
• Explaining why aspirated objects tend to enter the right main bronchus
• Labelling practice and practical exams in anatomy and physiology

Care & Handling

• Handle the human lung model by its base or the trachea rather than by the thin lung edges, which chip more easily.
• Dust with a soft brush and wipe with a barely damp cloth; solvent cleaners can lift the painted colours.
• If the lungs separate, keep the pieces together in one labelled box so they are not mixed up with other models.

Why Choose LabEquip

Biology departments and nursing schools typically add a lung model when they build up a respiratory teaching set. LabEquip carries it among its biology lab products, beside the transparent lung segment model for studying the bronchial tree in detail. Share your class sizes and syllabus level through the LabEquip contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are the right and left lungs different?

The heart lies slightly left of the midline and takes up space on that side. The left lung therefore has a cardiac notch and only two lobes, whereas the right lung has three: upper, middle and lower.

What is the hilum of the lung?

It is the area on the medial surface where the main bronchus, pulmonary artery, pulmonary veins, nerves and lymph vessels enter or leave the lung. Together these structures form the root of the lung.

What is the lingula?

The lingula is a small tongue-shaped part of the left upper lobe, just below the cardiac notch. It corresponds roughly to the middle lobe of the right lung.

Why do inhaled objects usually go into the right lung?

Compared with the left, the right main bronchus is broader, shorter and closer to vertical, so it continues almost in line with the trachea. Small objects that are breathed in tend to follow this straighter path.

Does a lung model show the alveoli?

Not at whole-organ scale, because alveoli are microscopic air sacs. They are studied with enlarged alveolus models, prepared slides or diagrams, while the lung model shows the lobes and larger airways.

What is the pleura?

The pleura is a thin double membrane around each lung. The inner layer covers the lung and the outer layer lines the chest wall, with a film of fluid between them that lets the lungs slide smoothly during breathing.

Last Updated: September 2026