Chapter 21, Problem 10CYU

Summary Introduction

To review:

The reason for the statement “The resistance in the airways is typically low”.

Introduction:

The resistance (R) in the airways is related to the gas flow(F), and pressure (P) by the following equation: F = ΔP/R. In the process of respiration, the gas amount flowing into and out of the alveoli is directly proportional to the difference in pressure ΔP, i.e. the pressure gradient between the alveoli and external environment. For a proper gas flow the air resistance should be low, as the gas flow is inversly proportional to the airway resistance.