Sunday, April 17, 2011

Objectives 48 & 49: Inhalation and Exhalation/ Inspiration and Exhalation

Delineating the role of muscles and lung elasticity in inhalation and exhalation and Contrasting inspiration and Expiration................


This picture from p. 717 of the Anatomy & Physiology textbook* gives a great overview of the processes that take place during inspiration and expiration.  Describing in detail the muscles that are involved in inspiration such as the diaphragm and the external intercostals and then describing how expiration is a passive process that occurs through the recoiling of the elastic lungs.  It demonstrates the changes in intrapulmonary pressure that occur in order to stimulate these two processes.  I specifically remember having this conversation in class where we talked about the atmospheric pressure that would essentially weigh down on the body causing us to inhale in order to equalize the pressure gradients. 

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