Question

Differentiate between Inspiration and Expiration.

Answer 1

Hint: The gases exchanged during breathing are required for various functions of the cells. Inspiration and expiration are two basic events of breathing. Furthermore, breathing involves the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.

Complete answer: Breathing is an essential process of survival. It involves the exchange of gases from the lungs of the body. Inspiration and expiration are the two main phases of breathing. The air is rich in oxygen which is required by red blood cells to perform various metabolic processes. Inspiration or inhalation is the process of drawing air inside the lungs. On the other hand, expiration or exhalation is a process of releasing air out from the lungs with the help of the nose or mouth. The differences between these two processes are as follows:
a) Inspiration is also known as inhalation, while the process of expiration is known as exhalation. Inspiration is an active process, whereas expiration is a passive process.
b) The diaphragm is a tissue that is made of internal skeletal muscles. It is a sheet present that extends across the bottom of the thoracic cavity. During inhalation, the diaphragm moves down and contracts. Thus, it becomes flat during inspiration. But the diaphragm moves up by relaxing and thus becomes dome-shaped during exhalation.
c) Also, during inspiration, the internal intercostal muscles relax, while during expiration, the internal intercostal muscles contract. Moreover, the size of the chest cavity increases during inhalation and it decreases during exhalation. Due to this, the air pressure decreases inside the lungs during inspiration and it increases during expiration.
d) The major difference is that during inhalation, oxygen is taken inside the lungs, whereas carbon dioxide is removed from the lungs during exhalation.

Note: Oxygen inhaled in the process of inhalation is carried to different parts of the body by the blood. The blood contains haemoglobin that is involved in the transportation process. The blood not only carries oxygen but also carries carbon dioxide.