Final answer:
Nasal breathing helps to filter, warm, and moisten the air due to the hair-lined passages and the narrow diameter of these passages, enhancing oxygen extraction.
Step-by-step explanation:
Nasal breathing is considered superior to mouth breathing because the nasal passages are lined with hair that helps filter out particles from the air. This natural filtering system ensures that most particles are captured before they can enter the respiratory tract.
Furthermore, the nasal passages warm and moisten the air, which is particularly beneficial in cold and dry conditions. The narrow diameter of these passages also creates higher pressure in the lungs during exhalation, which slows down the emptying of the lungs, giving them more time to extract oxygen.