Final answer:
The mechanism ensuring that the lung surface and the thoracic wall move synchronously during breathing is the pleural linkage created by the pleural fluid between them.
Step-by-step explanation:
That the lung surface and the thoracic wall will move in and out together, rather than separately, during ventilation is assured by the pleural linkage. This linkage is due to the pleural fluid that acts as an adhesive, creating a connection between the lungs and the thoracic wall. This ensures that as the thoracic wall moves during breathing, due to the contraction and relaxation of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, the lungs follow suit because of the negative pressure relative to the atmosphere. Also, the compliance of the thoracic wall affects the effort needed for this ventilation process, and the lungs themselves participate passively, relying on the elastic recoil of their tissues and the dynamics of pleural pressure.