What are the large branches that come from the trachea and enter the lungs called?

The large branches that stem from the trachea and lead into the lungs are known as bronchi. These structures serve as the major airways that direct air into each lung, with the trachea bifurcating into the right and left main bronchi. Once inside the lungs, the bronchi continue to divide into smaller bronchi and, ultimately, into bronchioles, which are smaller tubes that facilitate the delivery of air to the alveoli, where gas exchange occurs.

Understanding the role of the bronchi is essential for recognizing how air travels through the respiratory system. They are larger in diameter compared to bronchioles, which are significantly smaller and more numerous, leading to the alveoli at the end of the respiratory tree. The term "lobes" refers to the sections of the lungs themselves rather than the branching airways. Each lung is divided into lobes (the right lung has three, while the left lung has two), which are composed of lung tissue that houses the alveoli for gas exchange.