Human Respiratory System

Quick Answer: The human respiratory system model is a static respiratory system anatomy model of the airways and lungs, from the upper airway through the larynx and trachea to the bronchi and the lobes of both lungs. It is used in biology and nursing lessons to show the path air takes and how the lungs sit in the chest.

Following the Airway Through the Model

Air enters through the nose, where it is warmed, moistened and filtered, passes the pharynx and then the larynx, the voice box guarded by the epiglottis. Below the larynx the trachea, held open by C-shaped rings of cartilage, runs down to the carina, where it divides into the right and left main bronchi. Inside each lung the bronchi branch repeatedly into smaller bronchi and bronchioles, ending in the alveoli where gas exchange happens.

The two lungs are not mirror images. The right lung has three lobes separated by the horizontal and oblique fissures, while the left lung has two lobes and a cardiac notch that makes room for the heart. The right main bronchus is wider, shorter and more vertical than the left, which is why an inhaled object more often lodges on the right side, a point first-aid and nursing students remember.

This is an anatomy model rather than a working one. To show how breathing moves air, LabEquip offers the functional human respiratory system model driven by a diaphragm; the static model is the better tool for naming structures. Whether this listing includes the heart, the diaphragm or a sectioned lung is not stated.

Specifications

Applications

• Labelling the respiratory tract in secondary biology
• Explaining lung lobes and fissures before nursing students learn chest examination
• Discussing choking and why inhaled objects enter the right main bronchus
• Linking smoking and air pollution to the structures they damage in health education

Care & Handling

• Lift the respiratory system anatomy model by its base or stand rather than by the trachea, which carries the weight of the lungs at a narrow point.
• If the lungs or a lung section are removable, refit them so the bronchi line up with the trachea.
• Dust with a soft brush; the branching bronchi hold dust in their angles.

Why Choose LabEquip

Schools and nursing colleges usually need a static respiratory model for identification work and a working model for mechanics. LabEquip lists this one among its biology lab products next to the magnified pulmonary alveoli model for gas-exchange lessons, and the contact page is the place to ask about included parts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the right lung have three lobes and the left only two?

The heart lies slightly to the left in the chest, so the left lung is smaller and has a cardiac notch in its front edge. The right lung is larger and is divided into upper, middle and lower lobes.

What is the carina?

The carina is the ridge at the lower end of the trachea where it divides into the right and left main bronchi. It is very sensitive, and touching it triggers strong coughing.

Why do inhaled objects often enter the right bronchus?

The right main bronchus is wider, shorter and more nearly in line with the trachea than the left, so a small object that passes the larynx tends to fall into it.

What keeps the trachea open?

C-shaped rings of cartilage support the trachea. The open part of each ring faces backwards against the oesophagus, which lets the oesophagus bulge slightly when food is swallowed.

Does this model show how breathing works?

No, it is a static model for identifying structures. The movement of the diaphragm and ribs in breathing is better shown with a working model such as a bell jar or a functional respiratory model.

What is the role of the epiglottis?

The epiglottis is a flap of cartilage at the entrance to the larynx. During swallowing the larynx rises and the epiglottis folds back, helping to direct food into the oesophagus instead of the airway.

Last Updated: September 2026