Final answer:
An object blocking a bronchus increases airway resistance, disrupting airflow, which can lead to reduced gas exchange efficiency. Obstructive conditions like asthma exhibit similar symptoms due to inflammation and mucus production. Medical treatment is required to restore adequate ventilation and respiratory function.
Step-by-step explanation:
An object blocking a bronchus would significantly impact airflow within the respiratory system. It would cause an obstruction that increases airway resistance, leading to a decrease in the amount of air that can flow into the lungs. This obstruction could result in a phenomenon known as a physiological shunt, where there may be adequate perfusion but inadequate ventilation, disrupting the V/Q ratio essential for efficient gas exchange. People with obstructive diseases like asthma experience such difficulties due to swollen airway walls, mucus production, and muscular spasms which can cause the airways to narrow and obstruct airflow, leading to more effort required during breathing and potentially compromising gas exchange.
Additionally, the increased effort required to breathe against the resistance can lead to complications and worsening of the condition if not treated properly. Moreover, it may necessitate breathing at very high lung volumes to compensate for the restricted airflow and improve the movement of gases. In acute cases, medical intervention to remove the blockage or to treat the inflammation and mucus overproduction that accompany conditions like bronchitis and asthma is often necessary to restore normal respiratory function.