Question

The intrapleural pressure is -4 mmHg relative to atmospheric and the transpulmonary pressure is 5 mmHg relative to atmospheric. Atmospheric pressure is 750mmHg What is the intralveolar pressure? Enter the actual value (not relative to atmospheric) as a number.

Answer 1

The intralveolar pressure is 1 mmHg

Step-by-step explanation:

The transpulmonary pressure is the difference between the alveolar pressure and the intrapleural pressure. It is this gradient between pressures that allows the air to flow during human ventilation.

Writing this into an equation it means that, Ptp = Palv - Pip, so from there we have Palv = Ptp + Pip, or Palv = 5 mmHg - 4 mmHg = 1 mmHg.