Chest

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/chest

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the components of the thoracic cage?12 thoracic vertebrae, 12 pairs of ribs, sternum
2. What is the primary muscles of inspiration?Diaphragm and external intercostal muscles
3. What is the thorax and why is it important?The thorax, or chest, is the part of the body that holds the heart and lungs. It is made of bones like ribs, a spine, and the sternum that protect these organs.
4. How does the chest help us breathe?When we breathe in, the diaphragm and ribs move to make the chest bigger, so air can fill the lungs. When we breathe out, the chest relaxes and the lungs push air out.

Thoracic Cavity: The space within the chest enclosed by the thoracic cage, housing the heart and lungs.
Intrapleural Pressure: The pressure within the pleural space between the lungs and the chest wall.
Referred Pain: Pain felt in a part of the body other than its actual source.