Why can a person not suffocate to death from holding their breath?
The autonomic nervous system takes control eventually.
A) The pressure differential in the lungs eventually creates a vacuum.
B) It’s impossible to close the nasal passage to the lungs.
C) It’s impossible to close the nasal passage to the lungs.
D) Air eventually enters the lungs anyway through osmosis.
The correct answer is A) The pressure differential in the lungs eventually creates a vacuum.
When a person holds their breath, the buildup of carbon dioxide in the body triggers the autonomic nervous system, specifically the medulla oblongata, which controls breathing. The medulla sends signals to the respiratory muscles to contract, overcoming the voluntary breath-holding action and forcing the person to take a breath. In this process, the pressure inside the lungs decreases, creating a vacuum that draws in air. Therefore, it's not possible to suffocate to death by holding the breath indefinitely.