Final answer:
Emphysema is the condition causing enlarged airspaces and destruction of alveoli, typically due to the breakdown of lung tissue from smoking tobacco, leading to shortness of breath and chronic cough.
Step-by-step explanation:
The medical condition most likely to cause enlarged airspace beyond the terminal bronchioles with collapse and destruction of the alveoli is D) Emphysema. In emphysema, primarily caused by smoking tobacco, the walls of the alveoli are destroyed, which decreases the surface area for gas exchange and results in less elastic lungs that trap more air at the end of exhalation. This chronic lung disease leads to symptoms such as shortness of breath, especially during exercise, and a chronic cough. As the question specifies the collapse and destruction of the alveoli, emphysema is the correct answer, distinguishing it from other conditions like pneumonia, asthma, and bronchitis.