Diaphragm

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/diaphragm

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 primary respiratory muscle?Responsible for approximately 75% of tidal volume during quiet breathing
2. What is the innervation?Phrenic nerve (C3-C5), with contributions from intercostal nerves
3. What is the diaphragm and why is it important for breathing?The diaphragm is a dome‑shaped muscle that separates the chest and belly. When it contracts, it pulls down, making room for the lungs to fill with air, so we can breathe easily.
4. How does the diaphragm help us cough or sneeze?When the diaphragm contracts hard, it pushes air out of the lungs and helps clear irritants from the throat, making coughing and sneezing work.

Intrapleural Pressure: The pressure within the pleural space between the lungs and the chest wall.
Tidal Volume: The amount of air that moves in and out of the lungs during a normal breath.
Valsalva Maneuver: Forced exhalation against a closed glottis, increasing intrathoracic pressure.