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What is the act of breathing?

Updated: 8/10/2023
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15y ago

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Breathing, or pulmonary ventilation, is the process of exchanging air between the atmosphere and the lungs, and includes inspiration (inhalation), and expiration (exhalation). The movement of air into the lungs is dependent upon pressure gradients and the process is based on Boyle's law, which states that the pressure of a gas is inversely proportional to the size of its container. So in simple terms, if you have a certain volume of gas in a container, if that container were to get larger, the pressure inside would be reduced. Likewise, by decreasing the container size, the pressure increases. Using that example, the lungs are the container. By changing the size of the container, the pressure inside increases or decreases proportionally. During normal breathing, the diaphragm and external intercostal muscles contract to expand the lungs (our container), causing the pressure to decrease. When that pressure becomes lower than the atmospheric pressure, the air will move into the lungs (if you have ever siphoned gas its the same idea). As it moves into the lungs, it gets warmer, becomes moist, and expands. During expiration (exhalation), the diaphragm and intercostal muscles relax, causing the cavity size to reduce, which causes the pressure to increase. When that pressure becomes greater than the atmospheric pressure (outside), the air is forced out of the lungs.

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11y ago

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