The order of flow of oxygen within the human body may be described simply. Oxygen first is inhaled through the nasal cavity and then passes through the trachea, through the bronchi and into the lungs. In the lungs, the oxygen is passed into the blood stream through the alveoli and then is carried to the heart. The heart pumps this oxygenated blood throughout the body, primarily to organs and muscle cells, where it is consumed in respiration and is converted to carbon dioxide and excreted.