alleryStart learning →What does thoracic wall compliance measure?
AThe speed at which the ribs recoil inward
BThe force the diaphragm can generate at rest
CHow well the chest wall stretches under pressure
DThe volume of air left after full exhalation
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: C. How well the chest wall stretches under pressure
1. Inspiration requires the thoracic cavity to expand.
2. Thoracic wall compliance is the ability of that wall to stretch while under pressure.
3. If the tissues are not very compliant, expanding the thorax to enlarge the lungs becomes difficult.
4. The volume left after full exhalation is the residual volume, which is a lung volume rather than a compliance measure.
_Source: OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology (CC BY 4.0), Ch 22 "The Respiratory System", section 22.3 The Process of Breathing_
Keep practising The Respiratory System
Browse all The Respiratory System questions for NEET PG, or explore more Physiology topics.
Related questions
Why is survival low for a baby born before 26 weeks?By how much has surfactant therapy reduced death from respiratory distress syndrome?What proportions of preterm infants are quoted as developing respiratory distress syndromeWhat happens to the fluid left in the lungs after delivery?How soon after birth does the first inhalation occur?What does the fetus move in and out during fetal breathing movements?Around which week do fetal breathing movements begin?When does a full complement of functional alveoli appear?