Respiratory System: JAMB Physical and Health Education Questions, Answers & Notes

What Respiratory System covers in the JAMB Physical and Health Education syllabus

The respiratory system is responsible for breathing and gaseous exchange, and the lungs are its main organs. When we breathe in (inhalation) the body takes in oxygen; when we breathe out (exhalation) it gives off carbon dioxide and water vapour. Air enters through the nose and mouth (the nose warms, moistens and filters it), passes down the trachea (windpipe), which divides into two bronchi (one to each lung), and reaches tiny air sacs called alveoli, where gaseous exchange (the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide) takes place. The diaphragm, a muscle below the lungs, helps breathing. Oxygen is needed to break down food (respiration) and release energy; exercise makes breathing faster and deeper, while smoking damages the lungs. The main point: the respiratory system takes in oxygen and removes carbon dioxide through the lungs.

For Respiratory System, JAMB expects you to be able to:

• State the respiratory system's role (breathing/gaseous exchange) and the lungs as main organs
• Trace the air pathway (nose/mouth → trachea → bronchi → alveoli) and the diaphragm
• Explain intake of oxygen, output of carbon dioxide, gaseous exchange in alveoli, and effects of exercise/smoking

Key facts & revision notes: Respiratory System

These are the recurring points our Respiratory System questions test — revise them until each feels automatic, then practise the questions above to lock them in.

• The respiratory system is responsible for breathing and gaseous exchange.
• The lungs are the main organs of breathing.
• During breathing in (inhalation), the body takes in oxygen.
• During breathing out (exhalation), the body gives off carbon dioxide (and water vapour).
• Air enters through the nose and mouth.
• The trachea (windpipe) carries air to the lungs.
• The trachea divides into two bronchi, one to each lung.
• Gaseous exchange takes place in the tiny air sacs called alveoli.
• The diaphragm is the muscle below the lungs that helps breathing.
• Oxygen is needed to break down food (respiration) and release energy.
• The exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs is called gaseous exchange.
• Exercise makes breathing faster and deeper to supply more oxygen.
• Smoking damages the lungs and the whole respiratory system.
• The nose warms, moistens and filters (cleans) the air we breathe.
• The body takes in oxygen when breathing.
• The body gives out carbon dioxide when breathing.
• Gaseous exchange happens in the alveoli.
• The windpipe is also called the trachea.
• The main point is that the respiratory system takes in oxygen and removes carbon dioxide through the lungs (gaseous exchange).

Worked examples

Three Respiratory System questions with the answer and a short explanation, so you can see how the topic is set before you practise the full set.

How Respiratory System is tested in JAMB Physical and Health Education

Our Respiratory System bank holds 20 questions (5 easy, 9 medium, 6 hard). JAMB Physical and Health Education typically returns to Respiratory System year after year, so steady practice on this topic is high-value revision. Questions are multiple-choice with four options, and at UTME pace you get roughly 40 seconds each — which is why timed practice matters.

How to answer Respiratory System questions

Work the stem first and predict the answer before you look at the options; then eliminate the ones that contradict the key facts above. Watch for “which is not…”, “all of the above” and “except” style stems, which are where rushed candidates lose easy marks on Respiratory System. If a calculation or a precise definition is involved, work it from first principles rather than guessing from a half-remembered rule. When two options look right, re-read the stem for the qualifier that separates them — JAMB rarely repeats an option by accident. If you are still unsure, eliminate the two weakest choices to lift your odds, flag the question, and move on; never burn a full minute on one Physical and Health Education item when the exam gives you about forty seconds each. Then come back to flagged questions with whatever time remains. The single most reliable way to get faster at Respiratory System is repeated timed practice, so use the button above until the recurring patterns feel automatic.

Common mistakes to avoid in Respiratory System

The errors that cost marks on Respiratory System are usually careless rather than conceptual: misreading a negative stem, confusing two similar terms, or rushing a definition you actually know. Candidates also over-rely on “expo” and last-minute cramming instead of understanding the topic — which fails the moment JAMB rephrases a familiar idea. Treat every option as a claim to be checked against the facts above, keep your working tidy for any calculation, and don’t change a considered answer on a hunch. Above all, revise Respiratory System actively by answering questions, not just by re-reading notes — recall under time is what the exam rewards.

Frequently asked questions

Is Respiratory System part of the JAMB Physical and Health Education syllabus?

Yes. Respiratory System is a recognised topic in the JAMB Physical and Health Education syllabus, covering state the respiratory system's role (breathing/gaseous exchange) and the lungs as main organs. You should be able to recall its key facts and apply them to multiple-choice questions.

How many Respiratory System questions can I practise on Belmadeng?

There are 20 original, JAMB-standard Respiratory System questions in our free bank, each with the correct answer and a worked explanation. You can practise them untimed or as a timed test.

What are the most important points to know about Respiratory System?

The respiratory system is responsible for breathing and gaseous exchange, and the lungs are its main organs. When we breathe in (inhalation) the body takes in oxygen; when we breathe out (exhalation) it gives off carbon dioxide and water vapour. Air enters through the nose and mouth (the nose warms,…

How do I answer Respiratory System questions quickly in JAMB?

Read the stem carefully, eliminate clearly wrong options, and match the remaining choices to the key facts for Respiratory System. Practising timed Respiratory System questions builds the speed you need for UTME's pace of about 40 seconds per question.

Are these JAMB Physical and Health Education Respiratory System questions past questions or original?

They are original questions written to JAMB (UTME) standard and mapped to the official syllabus — not reproduced past papers. This keeps them legal to use freely while closely mirroring how the real exam tests the topic.

Where can I practise Respiratory System questions free without signing up?

Right here — tap “Start Respiratory System practice” on this page to begin instantly. Belmadeng's CBT practice is completely free and needs no sign-up, download or subscription.

About these questions: original, JAMB-standard items written from the official UTME Physical and Health Education syllabus (last reviewed 2026-09-18). Belmadeng is an independent study platform and is not affiliated with JAMB. Spotted an error? Use the report link.