Lung

Lungs

Lungs are special parts inside our bodies that help us breathe. They are like two little balloons sitting on either side of the heart inside the rib cage. We have two lungs: a right lung and a left lung. The right lung is a little bigger because the left lung shares space with the heart.

Lungs take in fresh air when we breathe in. This air travels through tiny tubes until it reaches very small air sacs called alveoli. Here, the lungs let our blood take in important air we need to stay healthy. When we breathe out, the lungs let go of air we don’t need anymore.

Even before we are born, our lungs start to grow and get ready. They begin as a tiny bud and change a lot as we grow. After we are born, we take our first big breath, and the lungs start working right away.

Lungs are important for many animals, not just humans. Birds, for example, have special air sacs that help them fly high in the sky. Fish like lungfish also have lungs to breathe air when water has little oxygen.

Lungs help us talk, too! When we speak, we use air stored in our lungs to make sounds. Next time you breathe, remember how amazing your lungs are for keeping you healthy and helping you share your voice with the world!