Breathing

Both inhalation and exhalation depend on pressure gradients between the lungs and atmosphere, as well as the muscles in the thoracic cavity.

Types of breathing in humans include eupnea, hyperpnea, diaphragmatic, and costal breathing; each requires slightly different processes.

Breathing includes several components, including flow-resistive and elastic work; surfactant production; and lung resistance and compliance.

Dead space is a broken down or blocked region of the lung that produces a mismatch of air and blood in the lungs (V/Q mismatch).