What is the difference between Rales and Rhonchi?

There is no big difference between Rales and Rhonchi in that, the two breath diseases produce similar sounds. Rales and Rhonchi are abnormal sounds produced in the lung as a result of infections in the lung. Rales and Rhonchi produce almost similar sound in the lung and there is why people confuse the two lung problems. The notable difference between rales and rhonchi can be best explained under their meanings.

Rales are breath sounds produced in the lung when air passes through alveoli and small airways with liquid and moisture, the continuous passage of air through liquid airways in the lung creates the sound. While Rhonchi is sound produced when the free liquids in the air pathway come in contact with the air coming into the lung during respiration. The rate at which the air coming in is interacting with the moist airway will determine how high or low the sound would be.