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Pulmonary ventilation, more commonly called breathing, is the air movement into and out of the lungs. Inhalation is the act of drawing air into the lungs, while exhalation is the expulsion of that air. Breathing involves Boyle’s law, which states that the pressure of a gas decreases as the volume increases if the temperature is held constant.[1] Increasing the thoracic cavity volume causes a decrease in the intrathoracic pressure and an influx of air. Meanwhile, decreasing the volume of the thoracic cavity generally occurs through the relaxation of the muscles of inspiration, which causes an increase in intrathoracic pressure and results in exhalation (see Image. Respiration Rib Cage Movement, Diaphragm). The thoracic wall is essential to this process and comprises the sternum, 12 pairs of ribs, 12 thoracic vertebrae, and the muscles, fascia, and skin that connect to this bony cage.