The characteristic of COPD that puts the patient at risk for the nursing diagnosis of "Imbalanced nutrition: less than body requirements" is:

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D, Excessive respiratory effort. In COPD, the increased work of breathing due to impaired lung function leads to higher energy expenditure, resulting in decreased appetite and weight loss. This increased respiratory effort can lead to fatigue, making it difficult for the patient to eat adequately, resulting in imbalanced nutrition. Choices A, B, and C do not directly contribute to imbalanced nutrition in COPD patients. A, Increased metabolism, is not a typical feature of COPD. B, Anxiety, may affect appetite but is not the primary reason for imbalanced nutrition in COPD. C, Chronic constipation, may cause discomfort but does not directly impact nutritional intake in the same way as excessive respiratory effort.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because ventilation in humans is powered by the diaphragm and muscles attached to the ribs working together. The diaphragm contracts during inhalation, increasing the volume of the thoracic cavity, while the external intercostal muscles lift the rib cage, expanding the chest cavity. This creates a pressure difference, causing air to move into the lungs. The other choices are incorrect because the lungs themselves do not have the ability to power ventilation independently, and muscles attached to the ribs are essential for chest expansion during breathing.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Step-by-step rationale for why choice C is correct: 1. During inhalation, the diaphragm contracts and moves downward, expanding the thoracic cavity. 2. Expansion of the thoracic cavity leads to a decrease in alveolar pressure and intrapleural pressure. 3. Decreased alveolar pressure causes air to flow into the lungs due to the pressure difference. 4. Decreased intrapleural pressure helps keep the lungs inflated by maintaining the pleural cavity pressure lower than alveolar pressure. Summary of why other choices are incorrect: A. Incorrect because alveolar pressure decreases during inhalation, but intrapleural pressure also decreases. B. Incorrect because both alveolar pressure and intrapleural pressure decrease during inhalation. D. Incorrect because alveolar pressure decreases and intrapleural pressure also decreases during inhalation, not increases.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: Diaphragm. The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle that separates the thoracic and abdominal cavities in mammals. It contracts during inhalation, expanding the thoracic cavity and allowing the lungs to fill with air. This physiological function clearly demonstrates that the diaphragm is the structure responsible for partitioning the body cavity. A: Liver - The liver is located in the abdominal cavity and does not partition the thoracic and abdominal cavities. B: Lungs - Lungs are organs within the thoracic cavity but do not partition the two cavities. C: Ribs - Ribs protect the thoracic organs but do not partition the body cavity into thoracic and abdominal regions.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Chloride shift. During the transport of CO2, carbonic anhydrase in RBCs converts CO2 to bicarbonate ions. To maintain electrochemical neutrality, chloride ions move into RBCs as bicarbonate ions move out into plasma (Chloride Shift). Osmosis (A) involves the movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane, not relevant to CO2 transport. Adsorption (B) refers to the adhesion of molecules to a surface, not a process between RBCs and plasma in CO2 transport. Absorption (D) typically involves the uptake of substances into a bulk material, not applicable to the interaction between RBCs and plasma in CO2 transport.