CRS depends on which structures?

CRS depends on which structures?

• A. Only the lung
• B. Only the chest wall
• C. Both the lung and chest wall
• D. The diaphragm only

Answer: (C)

Breathing comes from the interaction between the lungs and the chest wall. The lungs have elastic recoil that tends to collapse them, while the chest wall tends to spring outward. The diaphragm and inspiratory muscles generate the pressure differences that allow the chest to expand, so the lungs can fill. The overall respiratory mechanics—how easily air moves and how much volume you can move with a given pressure—are set by how these two compartments work together. Functional residual capacity, for example, rests on the balance between the outward recoil of the chest wall and the inward recoil of the lungs. If either side becomes stiff or diseased, the whole system’s compliance and work of breathing change. So, the respiratory system depends on both the lung and the chest wall.

Breathing comes from the interaction between the lungs and the chest wall. The lungs have elastic recoil that tends to collapse them, while the chest wall tends to spring outward. The diaphragm and inspiratory muscles generate the pressure differences that allow the chest to expand, so the lungs can fill. The overall respiratory mechanics—how easily air moves and how much volume you can move with a given pressure—are set by how these two compartments work together. Functional residual capacity, for example, rests on the balance between the outward recoil of the chest wall and the inward recoil of the lungs. If either side becomes stiff or diseased, the whole system’s compliance and work of breathing change. So, the respiratory system depends on both the lung and the chest wall.