Ventilation Mechanism¶
Use this interactive to compare quiet inhalation and exhalation so diaphragm movement, rib movement, thoracic volume change and airflow direction stay in one schematic view.
What This Diagram Does Not Show¶
- This is a simplified quiet-breathing model, not a dissection-accurate drawing of lung tissue, pleural membranes or alveolar recoil.
- Normal resting expiration here is passive. The internal intercostal muscles matter in forced expiration, so keep that extra step separate from the exhalation state shown here.
- The value of the diagram is the cause-and-effect chain: muscle action changes thoracic volume, volume change alters pressure, and pressure difference moves air.