Lung Mechanics: Compliance, Surface Tension and the Work of Breathing · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Why tiny air sacs stay open

Science · The Human Body · ages 20-21
Name ______________________   Date ____________
  1. What does surfactant do?

    • Thickens the sac walls
    • Lowers the film tension so small sacs stay open
    • Stops blood flow
  2. What makes air flow into the lungs?

    • Chest expansion dropping pressure below outside air
    • Blood pushing air inward
    • The nose heating the air
  3. Muscles pay for the in breath while elastic recoil refunds much of the out breath.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. A loop plot shows a very wide area for each breath. What follows?

    • Each breath costs much work
    • Breathing is cheap and easy
    • Compliance must be high
  5. Two lungs take the same breath, but one needs double the pressure swing. What does that mean?

    • It is stretchier
    • It has more surfactant
    • Stiff, low compliance
  6. A newborn lacks surfactant. Which sacs collapse first?

    • The largest sacs
    • The smallest sacs
    • All sacs equally at once
  7. Raising the pressure swing always fixes low air delivery with no extra cost.

    Circle one:   True   False

  8. Extra push moves barely any extra air in a scarred lung. What is wrong?

    • The airways are too wide
    • Surfactant is overabundant
    • The tissue is stiff, so compliance has fallen
LightMySky · lightmysky.comW1-mt_vNZEKuTjYQ-s1

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Why tiny air sacs stay open W1-mt_vNZEKuTjYQ-s1

  1. Lowers the film tension so small sacs stay open · The soapy film cuts tension where collapse threatens most.
  2. Chest expansion dropping pressure below outside air · Wider cavity means lower pressure, so outside air flows in.
  3. True · Widening costs effort, and relaxing gives air back.
  4. Each breath costs much work · Loop area is work, so wide means tiring.
  5. Stiff, low compliance · Less stretch per push means a flatter slope and lower compliance.
  6. The smallest sacs · Collapse pressure runs highest in the tiniest bubbles.
  7. False · Bigger swings cost more work each breath and tire muscles.
  8. The tissue is stiff, so compliance has fallen · Flat slope means pushes buy little stretch.
Worksheet · LightMySky