If the pressure between the visceral pleura of the lungs and the parietal pleura of the thoracic cage is −6 mm Hg, then:

The lung will collapse.
Exhalation is occurring.
The pressure is above atmospheric pressure.
The lungs will fill with air.
The lungs will fill with air.  The intra-pleural pressure must be negative (=below atmospheric pressure) if the lungs are to expand as the chest wall expands. It oscillates between about −2 mmHg (−270 Pa) when inhalation is about to begin and about −6 mmHg (−800 Pa) when inhalation has ended and exhalation is about to occur. Hence, a value of ~6 mmHg indicates that inhalation is occurring.

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