answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

because it divides the chest from the abdomen

User Avatar

Chanelle Morar

Lvl 10
3y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

Wiki User

15y ago

The contraction (flattening) of the diaphragm, coupled with the outward movement of the ribs leads to an increase in the thoracic cavity volume (chest volume). An increase in volume decreases the pressure, and therefore air is forced into the lungs from outside.

Therefore the diaphragm aids in changing the volume and pressure of the thoracic cavity.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

8y ago

When you breathe in, or inhale, your diaphragm contracts (tightens) and moves downward. This increases the space in your chest cavity, into which your lungs expand. The intercostal muscles between your ribs also help enlarge the chest cavity.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

6y ago

When you breathe out, or exhale, your diaphragm relaxes and moves upward into the chest cavity.

The intercostal muscles between the ribs also relax to reduce the space in the chest cavity.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

8y ago

The diaphragm is the main muscle involved in breathing. It moves down to increase the size of the chest cavity, causing an in-breath, and up to expel air. Intercostal muscles help by pulling the ribs up and out to increase the chest cavity volume when breathing in.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

16y ago

It helps inhaling while compressing the abdominal cavity.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

15y ago

When the scalenes and external intercostals contract while the diaphragm descends, your lungs inhale air. When your abdominal muscles contract and the diaphragm rises, you exhale.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

the diaphragm contracts to allow enough room for the lungs to inflate then it expands to aid in the release of the breath.

hope this helps! -^-^-

~Luna Dragana~

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: What roles do the diaphragm and intercostal muscles play in breathing?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Related questions

The intercostals are located?

The intercostal muscles are located between the ribs. They play important roles in breathing. There are two sets of intercostal muscles, external and internal. The external intercostals contract during normal inspiration, causing the rib cage to expand out and up and thus increase the volume of the chest cavity. The internal intercostals are used during forced expiration only. When they contract, the rib cage pulled down and together, shrinking the volume of the chest cavity.


What are the roles of circulatory?

it has the role of controlin breathing rate, and food


What are the roles of muscles?

The role of muscles in our body is enabling us to move our body, whn stimulated by a nerve. Muscles can contract as your brain tells them to. With out our muscles we would not be able to make any movements.


What are the roles of your muscles and bones?

Your bones give your body shape and structure and keep you from being a gelatinous mass. Your muscles allow your body to move (every movement internal or external is controlled by muscles).


What roles does the muscular system play during eating a snack?

well if you didn't have muscles you couldn't eat. the muscles in your face help your jaw move and also to swallow it. the muscles in your stomach and intestines help digest the food.


Why are bones so important to have in side you?

Bones play many important roles in the body, but primarily they are the framework around which the muscles attach. Without bones there would be many problems for example deafness as there would be no ossicles in the ear. It would also be impossible to move as the muscles have no attachments and would just squash about, this would have to include the diaphragm and so breathing would be made imppossible. Also the weight of the skin would most likely crush the brain so severely that is would kill you instantly as the skull, as with the ribcage, provides a large degree of protection. Finally you would have no red blood cell as the bone marrow is where they are produced and so no oxygen transport would take place even if you were put on a ventilator to allow you to breathe.


What muscles in the back help stabilize the spine?

The erector spinae muscles, transverse abdominis, and quadratus lumborum play important roles in stabilizing the spine. These muscles help maintain proper posture and support the spine during movements such as bending, lifting, and twisting. Strengthening these muscles can help prevent back pain and injury.


What organ is behind the lower right rib cage?

The liver is the organ located behind the lower right rib cage. It is the body's largest internal organ and plays vital roles in digestion, metabolism, and detoxification.


What five muscles of the pelvic outlet do males and females both have in common?

The five muscles of the pelvic outlet that both males and females have in common are the external anal sphincter, bulbospongiosus, ischiocavernosus, transverse perineal, and levator ani muscles. These muscles play important roles in controlling bowel and bladder functions, as well as supporting the pelvic organs.


What muscles do you use to breathe?

In total, there are eleven muscles that control or contribute to the act of respiration.The main muscle for respiratory inhalation is the diaphragm, which is located deep within the abdominal cavity. When the diaphragm contracts it opens more space within the chest which allows the lungs to fill with air. This process would not be entirely possible if the lungs did not have room to expand. The sternocleidomastoid (SCM), external intercostals, and the internal intercostals (the interchondral portion) all work to expand the rib cage and provide the space needed for the lungs to expand and fill. During exercise, greater volumes of air are usually needed, so there is a greater need for space within the ventral cavity (the thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities combined). Smaller, lesser known muscles assist in lifting the the first two ribs (the scalenes), and still more help to expand the rib cage (levator costarum and serratus posterior).For respiratory exhalation, the diaphragm relaxes, pushing up on the lungs to expel the used air. An absent breath (the unconscious breaths taken during regular activity) does not always use all of the muscles that are present in a conscious breath. For a conscious breath many muscles work together to help stabilize the ventral cavity. To exhale consciously, internal intercostals(excluding the interchondral portion), external abdominal oblique, internal abdominal oblique, transverse abdominis, and rectus abdominis are all used.The diaphragm contracts down, opening the ventral cavity for the lungs to expand. Considering this action occurs in both the frontal and and midsagittal planes, the plane of motion for the diaphragm can properly be labeled as oblique.The sternocleidomastoid (SCM), works in assisting the lifting of the clavicle through lateral flexion to the ipsilateral (same) side. Since this is lateral flexion, the plane of motion is frontal, and it is rather easy to imagine these two powerful muscles contracting up and down in this manner.The external and internal intercostals work together to elevate both the ribs and the cartilage of ribs one through four. The internal intercostals work a little harder however, as they work during exhalation, as well, depressing all of the ribs. For the external intercostals' act in elevating the ribs, the muscles rise along both the frontal and the midsagittal planes, creating an oblique plane of motion. For the internal intercostalis' work in elevation and depression they rise and fall simply up and down the frontal plane of motion.Scalene muscles are truly divided into anterior, medius and posterior scalenes; all three of which act upon the first and second ribs during respiratory inhalation. While Scalenus anterior and scalenus medius work to elevate the first rib, scalenus posterior alone is left to elevate the second rib. As this action is a simple lift, the frontal plane of motion as well as the midsagittal plane come into play, creating the oblique plane of motion once again.The external abdominal oblique muscles work similarly to the SCM in that their motions are (lumbar) lateral flexion on the ipsilateral side. The plane of motion is frontal and an image of the muscles contracting to help draw the ribs back into place is quite easy to imagine. Unlike the SCM however, the external abdominal obliques can work at various angles. Also in their repertoire is simple lumbar flexion, which adds the sagittal plane to their planes of motion.Internal abdominal oblique, like their counterparts (external abdominal obliques), have flexion in more than one pattern. They can cause lumbar flexion as well as lumbar lateral flexion to their ipsilateral sides, placing their motions in sagittal and frontal planes of motion respectively.The transverse abdominis playsa vital role in forced expiration by pulling the abdominal wall inward (which is to say "sucks in the stomach"). When one pictures the transverse as a band around the middle, knowing this action takes place on the transverse plane of motion is able to be pictured vividly.The rectus abdominis, a muscle well known to all of us, plays an important role in our every day motions, no matter what they may be. A proper breath starts in the abdomen and rises up through the thoracic cavity until ending at the top of the chest, then following this path in reverse for exhalation. It should come as little or no surprise that the rectus abdominis, then, plays an important role in both lumbar flexion and lateral lumbar flexion that helps in controlled breathing. For the lumbar flexion, the plane of motion is sagittal and for the ipsilateral flexion, the plane of motion changes to the frontal plane.Due to the minimal roles of the Levator Costarum and the Serratus Posterior, they have been left out of this response.


What are structural molecules in muscles and tendons?

The main structural molecules in muscles are actin and myosin, which form the muscle fibers and enable muscle contractions. In tendons, the main structural molecules are collagen fibers, which provide strength and flexibility to connect muscle to bone. Both actin, myosin, and collagen play key roles in maintaining the integrity and function of muscles and tendons.


What actors and actresses appeared in Cabaret - 1994?

The cast of Cabaret - 1994 includes: Helena Afonso as Various Roles Mariema as Various Roles Fernanda Baptista as herself Laura Boavida as Various Roles Ana Bola as Various Roles Sandra Caneira as Various Roles Sandra de Castro as Various Roles Maria de Lima as Various Roles Simone de Oliveira as Various Roles Victor de Sousa as Various Roles Dina de Sousa as Various Roles Aldina Duarte as herself Rita Duarte as Various Roles Zita Duarte as Various Roles Henrique Feist as Various Roles Rui Fernandes as Various Roles Piedade Fernandes as Various Roles Adelaide Ferreira as Various Roles Carla Frade as Various Roles Nuno Galamba as Various Roles Lia Gama as Various Roles Paula Guedes as Various Roles Afonso Guerreiro as Various Roles Anita Guerreiro as Various Roles Nuno Guerreiro as Various Roles Fernando Heitor as Various Roles Alexandra Lencastre as Various Roles Silvia Lima as Various Roles Fernando Mendes as Various Roles Eunice Menor as Various Roles Joaquim Monchique as Various Roles Fernando Palaio as Man in Opening Credits Carlos Paulo as Various Roles Alice Pires as Various Roles Carlos Quintas as Various Roles Silvia Rizzo as Various Roles Marcus Rosa as Various Roles Joaquim Salvador as Various Roles Igor Sampaio as Various Roles Fernando Serafim as Various Roles Cristiana Silva as Various Roles Raul Solnado as Various Roles Wanda Stuart as Various Roles Miguel Velez as Various Roles Isabel Wolmar as Various Roles