Breathing air works through a mechanical process that expands and contracts the chest cavity, enabling air to enter and exit the lungs.
The Mechanics of Inhalation
When you breathe in, also known as inhalation, several things happen in your body to allow air to enter your lungs:
- Diaphragm Contraction: Your diaphragm, a dome-shaped muscle located beneath your lungs, contracts and moves downwards.
- Chest Cavity Expansion: As the diaphragm moves down, it creates more space in your chest cavity. Your lungs then expand to fill this space.
- Rib Cage Movement: The muscles between your ribs also contract, pulling your rib cage upward and outward. This further enlarges the chest cavity.
- Air Enters the Lungs: The expansion of the chest cavity and lungs causes the air pressure inside the lungs to become lower than the air pressure outside of your body. Air rushes in through your nose and mouth to equalize the pressure, filling your lungs.
Simplified Breakdown
| Step | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Diaphragm | Contracts and moves downward | Increases chest cavity size |
| 2. Rib Cage | Muscles contract, pulling ribs upward and outward | Further increases chest cavity size |
| 3. Lungs | Expand to fill available space | Creates lower pressure inside the lungs |
| 4. Air Intake | Air flows from higher pressure to lower pressure | Air enters the lungs |
In summary, inhaling is an active process where your body actively works to expand the chest cavity, enabling air to enter the lungs due to pressure differences. The provided reference explains that during inhalation "your diaphragm contracts and moves downward. This increases the space in your chest cavity, and your lungs expand into it. The muscles between your ribs also help enlarge the chest cavity. They contract to pull your rib cage both upward and outward when you inhale."
