Nose (anatomy)

The nose is the external facial organ surrounding the nostrils and connecting them to the nasal cavity. It admits air for breathing and supports smell.

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Nostril: An external opening of the nose through which air enters and leaves the nasal cavity. The paired openings are the nose’s direct passage for airflow.
Olfaction: The sense of smell, produced when odor molecules activate receptors in the olfactory system. The nose carries odor molecules to the receptors that initiate smell.
Nasal breathing: Breathing in which air passes through the nasal passages rather than primarily through the mouth. The external nose is the entrance for this common route of respiration.
Mouth: The opening and cavity used for eating, speaking, and breathing, bounded by the lips and oral tissues. Unlike the nose, the mouth does not filter and condition inhaled air in the same way.
Nasal septum: A partition of cartilage and bone dividing the nasal cavity into right and left passages. It separates the two sides behind the external nose.
Nasal cycle: The alternating swelling and decongestion of nasal tissues that changes airflow between the two sides. This normal cycle changes how freely each nostril carries air.
Rhinoplasty: Surgery that changes the shape or function of the nose. Its external framework is the target of reconstructive and cosmetic procedures.
Vomeronasal organ: A chemosensory organ in many animals that detects chemical cues; it is vestigial or nonfunctional in adult humans. It is often confused with human smell, which depends mainly on the olfactory system.
Nasal cartilage: Flexible connective tissue that shapes and supports parts of the nose. Cartilage gives the external nose much of its shape and flexibility.
Mucociliary clearance: The movement of mucus and trapped particles out of the airways by coordinated cilia. Nasal mucus traps inhaled particles, and cilia help remove them.