Work of breathing When there is increased gas flow resistance, the optimal respiratory rate decreases. This work (generally during the inhalation phase) is stored as potential energy which is recovered during exhalation. A pressure difference is required to overcome the frictional resistance to gas flow due to viscosity, and to provide non-elastic components of movement of the airway tissues to accommodate pulmonary volume change. Total work done against non elastic forces is 35% of total. Work is defined as a force applied over a distance. The SI unit of work is the Joule, equivalent to a force of 1 Newton exerted along a
Conservation of energy the heat energy may be written where formula_21 is the temperature and formula_22 is a small change in the entropy of the system. Temperature and entropy are variables of state of a system. If an open system (in which mass may be exchanged with the environment) has several walls such that the mass transfer is through rigid walls separate from the heat and work transfers, then the first law may be written: where formula_24 is the added mass and formula_25 is the internal energy per unit mass of the added mass, measured in the surroundings before the process. The conservation