Question

why do the lungs expand along with the thoracic cage during inspiration? multiple choice question. the cohesion of water causes the visceral pleura to cling to the parietal pleura. air entering the pleural cavity pushes against the visceral pleura. muscles in the walls of the alveoli contract, pulling them open and sucking air into the lungs. the parietal pleura and visceral pleura are connected along their surfaces via tight junctions.

Answer 1

Lungs expand during inspiration because the adhesive nature of the pleural fluid causes them to follow the thoracic wall as it expands, due to contractions of the intercostal muscles and diaphragm.

Step-by-step explanation:

The reason lungs expand along with the thoracic cage during inspiration is primarily due to the adhesive characteristic of pleural fluid between the visceral and parietal pleura. When the intercostal muscles and diaphragm contract, the thoracic cage expands, decreasing the intrapleural pressure and creating a negative pressure compared to the outside atmosphere. This encourages air to flow into the lungs, and because of the adhesive nature of the pleural fluid, the lungs are able to follow the motion of the thoracic wall and expand, allowing the alveolar spaces to increase in volume and fill with air.