Egan’s Respiratory Care Chapter 16 – NEED TO
KNOW for Exam (Lung Sounds & Assessment)|
Questions with Verified A+ Graded Rationales
Latest Updated 2026
Adventitious lung sounds
added sounds or vibrations produced by movement of air through abnormal airways
Crackles/ Rales
Discontinuous adventitious lung sounds are intermittent crackling or bubbling sounds of the
short duration
Wheezes
Continuous adventitious lung sounds that are quasi-musical sound
Stridor
Continuous adventitious lung sounds heard primarily over the trachea or larynx during
inhalation making a loud, high-pitched sound. sometimes heard w/o a stethoscope
Diminished/ Absent breath sounds
Intensity decreases
Harsh breath sounds
Intensity increases
Bronchial breath sounds
When expiratory component of harsh breath sounds equals inspiratory component.
vesicular breath sounds
Low in pitch and intensity. Heard primarily on inhalation. Exhalation is 1/3 the duration of
inhalation
Auscultation
The process of listening for bodily sounds over the thorax to identify normal and abnormal lung
sounds and to evaluate the effects of therapy
, Stethoscope has four parts:
Bell
Diaphragm
Tubing
Earpieces
Tracheal Breath Sounds
Sounds over the trachea and have a loud tubular quality
Bronchovesicular breath sounds
Slightly lower in pitch and have equal inspiratory and expiratory components compared to
tracheal breath sounds
Sounds generated during chest percussion are evaluated for?
Loudness and intensity
Tympanic
Percussion over normal lung fields produce a moderately low-pitched resonate sound.
Hypertympanic
Percussion sounds that are louder, deeper, and more resonate.
Increases in lung tissue density or increases in the density of the pleural spaces results in what
kind of percussion sound?
decreased resonance over affected area.
When the lungs are hyperinflated or when the pleural spaces contain large amounts of air
produce what kind of percussion sound?
Increased resonance over affected area.
Subcutaneous emphysema
Fine air bubbles within the subcutaneous tissue produce a crackling sound and a sensation
when palpated.
Crepitus
/the sound produced on palpitation of subcutaneous emphysema....classic sign of barotrauma
Percussion
KNOW for Exam (Lung Sounds & Assessment)|
Questions with Verified A+ Graded Rationales
Latest Updated 2026
Adventitious lung sounds
added sounds or vibrations produced by movement of air through abnormal airways
Crackles/ Rales
Discontinuous adventitious lung sounds are intermittent crackling or bubbling sounds of the
short duration
Wheezes
Continuous adventitious lung sounds that are quasi-musical sound
Stridor
Continuous adventitious lung sounds heard primarily over the trachea or larynx during
inhalation making a loud, high-pitched sound. sometimes heard w/o a stethoscope
Diminished/ Absent breath sounds
Intensity decreases
Harsh breath sounds
Intensity increases
Bronchial breath sounds
When expiratory component of harsh breath sounds equals inspiratory component.
vesicular breath sounds
Low in pitch and intensity. Heard primarily on inhalation. Exhalation is 1/3 the duration of
inhalation
Auscultation
The process of listening for bodily sounds over the thorax to identify normal and abnormal lung
sounds and to evaluate the effects of therapy
, Stethoscope has four parts:
Bell
Diaphragm
Tubing
Earpieces
Tracheal Breath Sounds
Sounds over the trachea and have a loud tubular quality
Bronchovesicular breath sounds
Slightly lower in pitch and have equal inspiratory and expiratory components compared to
tracheal breath sounds
Sounds generated during chest percussion are evaluated for?
Loudness and intensity
Tympanic
Percussion over normal lung fields produce a moderately low-pitched resonate sound.
Hypertympanic
Percussion sounds that are louder, deeper, and more resonate.
Increases in lung tissue density or increases in the density of the pleural spaces results in what
kind of percussion sound?
decreased resonance over affected area.
When the lungs are hyperinflated or when the pleural spaces contain large amounts of air
produce what kind of percussion sound?
Increased resonance over affected area.
Subcutaneous emphysema
Fine air bubbles within the subcutaneous tissue produce a crackling sound and a sensation
when palpated.
Crepitus
/the sound produced on palpitation of subcutaneous emphysema....classic sign of barotrauma
Percussion
