Final answer:
Breathing involves the chloride shift and structures like the cricoid cartilage, with role shifts occurring as the body adjusts between diaphragmatic and costal breathing styles in response to different demands.
Step-by-step explanation:
The breathing process involves multiple structures and chemical processes to effectively provide oxygen to the body and remove carbon dioxide. One such process is the chloride shift, which is a mechanism of facilitated diffusion where bicarbonate (HCO3-) is exchanged with chloride (Cl-) ions to maintain ionic balance during gas exchange. This process occurs in the conducting zone, a region of the respiratory system that includes organs and structures providing passageways for air, but not directly involved in gas exchange. The cricoid cartilage guides the air into the larynx and is part of the physical aspects of breathing.
Furthermore, Dalton's law, which states that each gas in a mixture exerts its own pressure independently, affects the partial pressures of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs. While the diaphragm and the rib muscles are the primary movers during breathing, role shift in breathing—like the transition between diaphragmatic or costal breathing—is an adjustment of the muscles involved to respond to different breathing demands, such as resting or during exercise.