Medical definition of ventilation:

Ventilation, or breathing, is the movement of air through the conducting passages between the
atmosphere and the lungs. The air moves through the passages because of pressure gradients that are
produced by contraction of the diaphragm and thoracic muscles.

Ventilation is the circulation and exchange of gases in the lungs or gills that is basic to respiration.

the flow of air through the conducting passages between the atmosphere and the lungs. Pressure
differences are made by the diaphragm and thoracic muscles when they contract. This makes the air move
through the passages.

Animal cells are primarily reliant on aerobic metabolism. Therefore, it is of vital importance to efficiently
obtain oxygen from the environment and bring it to the tissues, while excreting the by-product of
cellular respiration (carbon dioxide). 

Respiration involves both the respiratory and circulatory systems. There are 4 processes that supply the
body with O2 and dispose of CO2. The respiratory system is involved in pulmonary ventilation and
external respiration, while the circulatory system is responsible for transport and internal respiration.

Mechanics of Ventilation

Every animal needs oxygen. Oxygen is used in certain cell parts to change the food molecules in our cells
into energy they can use. Without that energy, our cells (and we) would die. Our cells also make waste
products as they work. These wastes need to be removed from the cells and the body to stay healthy. All
animals share these needs for oxygen and waste removal, but there is a huge variety of strategies to take
care of these needs.

What we call breathing, the movement of air in and out of our lungs, is called ventilation by scientists and
doctors. Ventilation is the passage of fluid (for example, air or water) along surfaces that can absorb
oxygen (called respiratory surfaces).

Mammals, birds, reptiles and some amphibians breathe air in and out to do this, but some insects pump
their bodies to draw in air, and sponges may have special cells with tails (flagella) to make fresh water
move over their cells. Some fish use head muscles and structures to move water over their gills, while
others swim with their mouths held open to get the same effect. These movements of the body to push
air or water into contact with respiratory surfaces is called breathing, ventilation, or external respiration.

There are four respiratory systems in animals:

 Lung breathing: mammals, birds, reptiles and some amphibians

 Gill breathing: fish and crabs
 Tracheal breathing: insects, centipedes, and spiders
 Skin respiration: amphibians
All these breathing methods, as mentioned before, help to transport oxygen into the cells and the
remaining carbon dioxide out of the cells.

https://askabiologist.asu.edu/animal-respiration

https://www.animalfunfacts.net/knowledge/senses-and-abilities/376-how-do-animals-breathe.html

Pulmonary Ventilation

Pulmonary ventilation is the process of air flowing into the lungs during inspiration (inhalation) and out of
the lungs during expiration (exhalation). Air flows because of pressure differences between the
atmosphere and the gases inside the lungs.

Air, like other gases, flows from a region with higher pressure to a region with lower pressure. Muscular
breathing movements and recoil of elastic tissues create the changes in pressure that result in ventilation.
Pulmonary ventilation involves three different pressures:

 atmospheric pressure
 intraalveolar (intrapulmonary) pressure
 intrapleural pressure

Atmospheric pressure is the pressure of the air outside the body. Intraalveolar pressure is the pressure
inside the alveoli of the lungs. Intrapleural pressure is the pressure within the pleural cavity. These three
pressures are responsible for pulmonary ventilation.

During breathing, the contraction and relaxation of muscles acts to change the volume of the thoracic
cavity. As the thoracic cavity and lungs move together, this changes the volume of the lungs, in turn
changing the pressure inside the lungs.

Boyle’s law states that the volume of gas is inversely proportional to pressure (when temperature is
constant). Therefore:

 When the volume of the thoracic cavity increases – the volume of the lungs increases and the
pressure within the lungs decreases.
 When the volume of the thoracic cavity decreases – the volume of the lungs decreases and the
pressure within the lungs increases.
Inspiration and Expiration

Inspiration (inhalation) is the process of taking air into the lungs. It is the active phase of ventilation
because it is the result of muscle contraction. During inspiration, the diaphragm contracts and the thoracic
cavity increases in volume. This decreases the intraalveolar pressure so that air flows into the lungs.
Inspiration then draws air into the lungs.

Expiration (exhalation) is the process of letting air out of the lungs during the breathing cycle. During
expiration, the relaxation of the diaphragm and elastic recoil of tissue decreases the thoracic volume and
increases the intraalveolar pressure. Expiration then pushes air out of the lungs.