Abstract

Background and objectives: This review article presents, in an intelligible way, some physical aspects linked to the respiratory system, with emphasis on the lungs, explaining them from the scientific epistemology, making use of physics and the physiology of respiration. The aim of the enquiry is to know some fundamentals of physics that explain the behaviour of the lungs in human beings. Methods: With a descriptive and analytical approach, were examined 57 references in six search engines, selected for their academic and quality explanation. The information search procedure used finders boolean search engines. Results: Exploration of the physical functioning of the lungs; mechanical properties of the lungs, dynamic properties of the lungs; critical physical variables and the thermodynamics of the lungs. Conclusions: Because of this review, we understand how physics relates to the respiratory system from an explanatory perspective. Thus, it encourages reflection on the care and preservation of the lungs, which may eventually be of interest to physicists and non[1]physicists alike.