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Why do people snore and how loud can snoring be?

Snoring is produced by vibrations of the soft palate (muscular portion of the roof of the mouth). It is usually caused when breathing through the nose is blocked. Snoring is most likely to occur when a person sleeps on his or her back. Research indicates that a snore can be as loud as 69 decibels; by way of comparison, the loudness of a pneumatic drill is 70 to 90 decibels.

Sources: The American Medical Association Encyclopedia of Medicine, p. 922; McAleer, Neil. The Body Almanac, p. 178.

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1. Characteristics And Functions
   1. What chemical elements are found within the human body?
   2. What is the normal pH of blood, urine, and saliva?
   3. How hard does the heart work?
   4. How does the body introduce oxygen to the blood and where does this happen?
   5. How does the immune system work?
   6. How much blood is in the average human body?
   7. What are the seven endocrine glands?
   8. How many cells are in the human body?
   9. How many miles of blood vessels are contained in the body?
   10. How many chromosomes are there in a human body cell?
   11. How long does it take food to digest?
   12. What causes people to sweat when they eat spicy foods?
   13. How much heat is lost through the head when a person is not wearing a hat?
   14. What regulates body temperature in humans?
   15. In the United States, what is the average height and weight for a man and a woman?
   16. What percent of human body weight is water?
   17. What are considered healthy weights for men and women?
   18. Who is the heaviest person that ever lived?
2. Parts Of The Body
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   2. Who is the world's oldest person?
   3. Why does excessive exercise cause muscles to become stiff and sore?
   4. What is the purpose of goose bumps?
   5. How many bones are in the human body?
   6. What is the likely purpose of the human appendix?
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   11. How many hairs are on an average person's head?
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3. Senses And Sleep
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   2. What is the length of the human intestine?
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   4. What does it mean to have 20/20 vision?
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   10. Why do people snore and how loud can snoring be?