BRAINCAKEInspiration
Inspiration is an active process that uses energy.
Contraction of the inspiratory muscles expands the chest wall, lowering the pressures in the thoracic cavity.
1. The internal intercostal muscles relax. The external intercostal muscles contract. The ribs are pulled upwards and outwards.
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Key terms in this lesson
- alveolus
- A tiny, thin-walled air sac in the lungs, surrounded by capillaries, that is the site of gas exchange.
More in Exchange of Gases
- Limiting Water Loss in Plants
- The Human Gas Exchange System
- The Lungs
- Mechanism of Breathing
- Expiration
- Alveoli
- Role of Alveoli in Gas Exchange
- Correlation and Causation
All 28 lessons in Exchange of Gases · All AQA AS-level Biology topics