Final answer:
The incorrect statement is that airway resistance during inspiration increases, which is false because resistance actually decreases during inspiration when the airways dilate.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that is NOT correct among the options provided is:
- a) Airway resistance during inspiration increases.
This statement is false because airway resistance actually decreases during inspiration due to the increased lung volume which dilates the airways, reducing resistance and making it easier for air to flow. The other statements are correct: Statement b) is true because while an individual bronchiole has a small radius, collectively, they provide a large overall cross-sectional area. Statement c) is accurate because in healthy lungs, the resistance in the conducting zone is indeed low due to the large total cross-sectional area of the airways. Finally, statement d) is also correct since during quiet breathing, the difference in pressure between the alveolar pressure (P(alv)) and the atmospheric pressure (P(atm)) is typically less than 2 mm Hg, which indicates a small gradient needed for air to enter and exit the lungs.