why is it that the lungs cannot be totally emptied?
963259
Because we have an intrinsic protective mechanism that prevents lung collapse which could cause a lot of harm and pain to ourselves.  PEEP stands for positive end expiry pressure which holds our lungs slightly open at the end of a breath.  This allows for the exchange of carbon dioxide/oxygen and prevents damage caused by lung collapse.  However, most of us can expire a lot more than we think we can.  If you breathe out and when you think you have finished your breath breathe out again you can normally get rid of a lot more!
577601
It's not the soul, it's air leaving the lungs.  THere is no way to measure something that is immaterial.\n\nhttp://www.snopes.com/religion/soulweight.asp
1139308
As human organisms, we are mostly empty space, and most of the non-empty space is water.  A fully dehydrated and compressed human would be a block of matter less than 2 feet tall.  If you could somehow remove all the "empty space" around our component atoms, we'd be even smaller than that.  Amazing what a small amount of non-empty space and a whole bunch of water will do, isn't it?\n\nMind you, this answer does not at all address the metaphysical component of your question, but that's outside the purview of science anyhow.
794798
basically the lungs cant function and become "fibrotic" or very hard.
765201
Well, the air is so low you definitely need an oxygen tank to aid in breathing. As far as elimination....it DEPENDS??? ha ha.
1134763
I would venture to guess that it is because your tubes in your lungs get smaller when you are cold.  This forces whatever mucus in your lungs be more in the way of your breathing, so you have to cough.
1171775
There are many blood vessels in the lungs, but if they burst, they seal up immediately because they are so small.  You will be fine, but you should still see a doctor because a doctor will know more than me.
407963
See\nhttp://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/P/Pulmonary.html
280386
Well, there are alot of factors in this room to be considered.    People require more than just oxygen to breath.  Though roughly 20% of atmospheric air is oxygen, the remainder of the  gasses (and especially the ratio of these) also contribute to how the lung works.\n\nSo, if this room was previously full of air at normal atmospheric conditions, then only the oxygen removed, and the addition of oxygen from the "cylinder" brought it back to atmospheric conditions, then yes, people would be able to breath.
225986
I'm going with B on this one.  The pulmonay arteries are taking deoxygenated blood away from the heart to the lungs to pick up O2 and drop off CO2.  This would mean that this blood is as full of CO2 as it can be in the body - at least in healthy people.\n\nC, the pulmonary arteries have just dropped off their CO2, so they don't have much. Not it.\n\nD, I think if the PCO2 were higher here than in the blood, then CO2 would diffuse out of the lungs and into the blood. Not it.\n\nE, The CO2 from the interstitial fluid is always diffusing into the veinous blood.  It's kept at a fairly constant rate, so that's probably not it.\n\nA, this could be the answer.  Honestly I don't know the PCO2 of the atmospheric air, but it would make sense to me that it's lower than what's in the pulmonary arteries because, again, CO2 that you breathed in would diffuse INTO the blood instead of out of it.
437158
Main reason is addiction and some people I know wouldn't quit even if they got sick.\n\nAnd yes it's really cool to fill your lungs with tar and not be able to breath and have a very slow and painful death (note the sarcasm)
907612
Since he had some fluid in the healthy lung, it may mean that this only lung is affected by cancer too.\nthere may be 1or 2 other possibility but to be honest cancer is # 1 reason.\nhole in his lung ? may mean pneumothorax which usually resolves by itself but needs some time (may be weeks, my brother had a hole in his lung after heart surgery & it healed after 1 month).\ni wish your uncle good health
326337
your question basically mean how does obstrustive or restrictive lung disease affect ventilation.  \n\nIn obstruction lung disease, the airway itself is full of obstruction and not allowing sufficient air travel to the aveolar for gaseous exchange.\n\nIn restrictive lung disease, the lungs tissue is restricted and not air can travel through due to the non-plastic pattern of the tissue
1144254
Yes, with your lungs full of air you are bouyant, the problem comes when you have to take a breath.. most people let go of all the air and sink, the trick is just take little breaths while keeping most of your lungs full\n\nand also you need to have good balance, because to do what I said above you have to be on your back, and your feet are going to want to come down, but you have to balance them out with your body
925762
Your lungs inflate because your chest expands (intercostal muscles flexing) and the diaphram flexes. This creates negative pressure inside the pleural cavity and causes the lungs to inflate (the actions of the chest wall and diaphragm essentially creates a vacuum and air tries to enter through the nasal or oral cavities, to reduce the vacuum)
519851
Fluids are not compressible and since most sea creatures cells/bodies are fluid, they are not affected by the pressure.  Air however is compressible so if the had lungs filled with air, they would have increase the amount of air in the lungs as they dove or get crushed.  Fish with swim bladders have to gradually increase the air in these bladders, if you catch one and reel him up from let's say 200', he is very dead by the time he makes it to the surface as the bladder ruptures as the air expands.
591561
Cause? Could be lack of oxygen due to lung damage. Could be from fever. Don't know if I understand your question.