Final answer:
The condition where air builds up in the chest cavity, harming heart and lung function, is known as a pneumothorax, not flail chest. Pneumothorax and flail chest require immediate medical attention as they compromise respiratory function. Pneumonia can be caused by fungi and the diaphragm contracts during inhalation, not exhalation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement provided is false. The condition described, where air builds up in the chest cavity reducing heart and lung function, is known as a pneumothorax, not flail chest. Flail chest is a different condition where multiple adjacent ribs are fractured in multiple places, creating a segment that is detached from the chest wall. A pneumothorax can occur when there is an injury to the chest such as being struck with a baseball bat, leading to a collapse of the lung. This can compromise respiratory function and require immediate medical attention. On the other hand, flail chest is typically indicated by paradoxical movement of the affected chest wall segment (moving inward on inhalation and outward on exhalation) and also requires urgent care.
Pneumonia is another condition affecting the lungs in which some alveoli fill with fluid, impeding gas exchange, and it can indeed be caused by fungi, as well as bacteria and viruses. During normal inhalation, the diaphragm contracts, creating a negative intrapleural pressure to draw air into the lungs, therefore, the statement that the diaphragm contracts during exhalation is false. Inhalation would be difficult with increased airway resistance as it would require greater effort to overcome the resistance and could lead to increased negative intrapleural pressure. A puncture to the thoracic cavity can induce a pneumothorax by allowing air to enter the pleural space, disrupting the negative pressure essential for lung expansion and thus impairing inhalation.