Respiratory Mechanics Tournament
Eight TEAS rounds on how air actually moves: diaphragm and Boyle, pneumothorax, the inspiration sequence, surfactant and pleura, a 759 mmHg calculation, quiet expiration, and compliance.
Quiet inspiration is driven mainly by contraction of the , which flattens, increases thoracic volume, and drops intrapulmonary pressure so air flows in.
What this tournament tests
Each task maps to a distinct ATI TEAS cognitive demand. 8 timed rounds test the high-yield mechanism, regulation, sequence and quantitative reasoning that consistently appear on test day.
Fill in the Blank
Name the primary inspiratory muscle.
Disruptor
Why a pleural puncture collapses the lung.
Sequence Ordering
Volume → pressure → flow.
Match the Pairs
Diaphragm, intercostals, alveoli, surfactant, pleura.
Numeric Input
Intrapulmonary pressure during quiet inspiration.
Select All That Apply
True ventilation facts.
Odd One Out
Elastic recoil is expiration, not inspiration.
Compliance Disruptor
Stiff lungs and what surfactant changes.
Public leaderboard
Your score posts to a global, persistent leaderboard scored by points first, time as tiebreaker.
Respiratory mechanics in 60 seconds
Muscles change thoracic volume. Boyle's law turns that into a pressure gradient. Air follows the gradient.
Quiet inspiration: diaphragm + external intercostals. Quiet expiration: elastic recoil. Forced expiration: internal intercostals + abdominals.
Negative intrapleural pressure keeps lung stuck to chest wall. Surfactant cuts surface tension so alveoli do not collapse.
A pleural puncture equalises intrapleural pressure with atmosphere. The lung’s elastic recoil then wins, and that side collapses — the TEAS pneumothorax item.
FAQ
What is the primary muscle of quiet inspiration?
The diaphragm. It flattens, thoracic volume rises, intrapulmonary pressure falls below atmosphere, and air flows in. External intercostals assist; they are not the primary muscle.
How does Boyle's law apply to breathing?
Pressure and volume of a gas are inversely related at constant temperature. Expanding the thorax drops pressure so air enters; shrinking the thorax raises pressure so air leaves. Muscles change volume; Boyle turns that into a gradient.
Why does a pneumothorax collapse the lung?
Normal intrapleural pressure is slightly negative and pins the lung to the chest wall. A puncture lets air in, the gradient vanishes, and elastic recoil collapses the lung on that side.
Is quiet expiration an active muscle process?
No. Quiet expiration is passive elastic recoil of lung and chest wall. Forced expiration recruits internal intercostals and abdominal muscles.