The lungs in the thorax can be thought of as a balloon in a box, where one end o

Question

The lungs in the thorax can be thought of as a balloon in a box, where one end of the balloon passes through an otherwise airtight box and is open to the atmosphere (see image). The bottom of the thorax is the curved diaphragm (red in the image), which is convex upwards when relaxed. When the diaphragm contracts, it flattens, thereby increasing the volume of the thorax. Why do the lungs expand when the diaphragm contracts?

The lungs in the thorax can be thought of as a balloon in a box, where one end of the balloon passes through an otherwise airtight box and is open to the atmosphere (see image). The bottom of the thorax is the curved diaphragm (red in the image), which is convex upwards when relaxed. When the diaphragm contracts, it flattens, thereby increasing the volume of the thorax. Why do the lungs expand when the diaphragm contracts? Relaxation of diaphragm Contraction of diaphragm Lung Lung Thorax Diaphragm Thorax Diaphragm

Explanation / Answer

The lungs expand when diaphragm contracts because,

b. The pressure inside the thorax decreases, increasing the transmural pressure of lungs and leading to thier expansion.

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