What effect, if any, does atmospheric pressure have on the ability of the lungs to function efficiently?
Well, less atmospheric pressure means less oxygen with every breath. Therefore your lungs has to work that much harder just to get the same amount of oxygen. Think about the people who climb Mt. Everest without oxygen masks. Just sitting at the top in that reduced atmospheric pressure, and their lungs are working like they are in the middle of running a marathon. This is also why athletes often train at high altitude locations in the off-season. Once they return to normal altitude, their lungs are very well conditioned.
