Theory 44/Geometry & Scale/Respiratory deposition
Deposition Follows the Bifurcation
The claim
Where inhaled particles deposit is set by the ratio of particle stopping distance to airway branch radius, not by particle size alone.
01Mechanism
At a bifurcation, flow turns; particles that cannot follow the turn impact, and the stopping distance relative to the branch sets the probability.
02Prediction
Deposition should map onto the ratio across airway generations.
03Refutation
Deposition tracking size alone would remove the geometry.