The diaphragm is a sheet of muscle separating the chest and stomach cavities. It contracts and relaxes with breathing.
The diaphragm pulls down when it contracts that lowers the pressure in your chest, causing air from the outside to rush into the lungs (inhalation). When it relaxes, it increases pressure in the chest, forcing air out (exhalation).
This muscle attaches to ribs, sternum, vertebrae. The esophagus, aorta, and inferior vena cava travel through the diaphragm.
The diaphragm is also involved in coughling, sneezing, crying, vomiting, and expelling waste.
The diaphragm sometimes contracts involuntarily because when the controlling nerves get irritated (or for some other reason). If air is inhaled at this time, the space between the vocal cords at the back of the throat close suddenly and produce the clicking noise we call hiccups (epiglottis snapping shut). http://www.innerbody.com/image/musc06.html#full-description
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