Final answer:
Pneumoconiosis is the medical term for lung fibrosis caused by inhaled dust, which results in restrictive lung disease, characterized by decreased lung compliance and difficulties in exhaling.
Step-by-step explanation:
The medical term for the condition caused by dust in the lungs after prolonged environmental or occupational contact, leading to fibrosis of the lung tissues, is pneumoconiosis. This is a type of lung disease wherein the airways are less compliant due to being stiff or fibrotic. A person affected by pneumoconiosis experiences a decrease in lung compliance, making it difficult to exhale normally, leading to trapped air in the lungs. This condition is an example of a restrictive lung disease, differing from obstructive diseases such as emphysema, asthma, and pulmonary edema. While emphysema is mainly caused by smoking and damages the alveoli, thereby decreasing surface area for gas exchange, pneumoconiosis is specifically caused by inhaled particulate matter.