Question

About diaphragm in about 200 - 300 words. Its about my project and am not finding that much about diaphragm.

Answer 1

Diaphragm is dome-shaped muscular partition separating the thorax from the abdomen in mammals. It plays a major role in breathing, as its contraction increases the volume of the thorax and so inflates the lungs. It sits at the base of the chest and separates the abdomen from the chest. It contracts and flattens when you inhale. This creates a vacuum effect that pulls air into the lungs. Also known as the thoracic diaphragm, it serves as an important anatomical landmark that separates the thorax, or chest, from the abdomen. It is a thin sheet of muscle between the thorax and the abdomen .

Answer 2

Diaphragm, dome-shaped, muscular and membranous structure that separates the thoracic (chest) and abdominal cavities in mammals; it is the principal muscle of respiration.

The muscles of the diaphragm arise from the lower part of the sternum (breastbone), the lower six ribs, and the lumbar (loin) vertebrae of the spine and are attached to a central membranous tendon. Contraction of the diaphragm increases the internal height of the thoracic cavity, thus lowering its internal pressure and causing inspiration of air. Relaxation of the diaphragm and the natural elasticity of lung tissue and the thoracic cage produce expiration. The diaphragm is also important in expulsive actions—e.g., coughing, sneezing, vomiting, crying, and expelling feces, urine, and, in parturition, the fetus. The diaphragm is pierced by many structures, notably the esophagus, aorta, and inferior vena cava, and is occasionally subject to herniation (rupture). Small holes in the membranous portion of the diaphragm sometimes allow abnormal accumulations of fluid or air to move from the abdominal cavity (where pressure is positive during inspiration) into the pleural spaces of the chest (where pressure is negative during inspiration). Spasmodic inspiratory movement of the diaphragm produces the characteristic sound known as hiccupping.