How would this action change the volume of the chest and lungs? Why does it cause the person to expel the food item from the airway?
Match the words in the left column to the appropriate blanks in the sentences on the right.
low
increase
high
decrease
1. The volume of the chest and lungs will (blank)
, which will cause the pressure to(blank)
2. A piece of food would be dislodged with a sufficiently
(Blank) pressure.
1. The volume of the chest and lungs will (increase/decrease), which will cause the pressure to (decrease/increase).
2. A piece of food would be dislodged with a sufficiently (high/low) pressure.
1. The volume of the chest and lungs will increase, which will cause the pressure to decrease.
2. A piece of food would be dislodged with a sufficiently high pressure.
To understand how this action would change the volume of the chest and lungs and why it causes the person to expel the food item from the airway, we need to consider the relationship between volume, pressure, and airflow during breathing.
1. The volume of the chest and lungs will (blank) (increase/decrease), which will cause the pressure to (blank) (increase/decrease).
When we inhale, the diaphragm and intercostal muscles contract, causing the chest cavity to expand. This expansion increases the volume of the chest and lungs. According to Boyle's Law, when the volume of a gas increases, the pressure decreases. Therefore, when the volume of the chest and lungs increases, the pressure inside them decreases. Conversely, when we exhale, the diaphragm and intercostal muscles relax, causing the chest cavity to contract, which decreases the volume of the chest and lungs. This decrease in volume increases the pressure inside them.
2. A piece of food would be dislodged with a sufficiently (blank) (low/high) pressure.
When a person chokes on a piece of food, the airway becomes blocked. To expel the food item and regain normal airflow, the person needs to generate enough pressure to dislodge it. This can be achieved by forcefully exhaling, which increases the pressure in the chest and lungs. The increased pressure helps dislodge the food item and expel it from the airway.
In summary, during inhalation, the volume of the chest and lungs increases, which decreases the pressure inside them. During exhalation, the volume decreases, which increases the pressure. To expel a food item from the airway, a person needs to generate a sufficiently high pressure by forcefully exhaling to dislodge the obstruction.