Question

If the phrenic nerve were severed, what would be the most immediate effect?

(A) The upper limbs would be paralyzed.
(B) Breathing would stop.
(C) The sense of smell would be blocked.
(D) The ability to swallow would be blocked.

Answer 1

The immediate effect of severing the phrenic nerve would be that breathing would stop.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most immediate effect of the severing of the phrenic nerve would be that breathing would stop. The phrenic nerve is responsible for controlling the contractions of the diaphragm, the crucial muscle involved in the process of breathing. Without the phrenic nerve, the diaphragm cannot contract, leading to a cessation of breathing.