The lungs are surrounded by a double membrane called pleura.

This membrane has two layers, a parietal

pleura and a visceral pleura. The parietal pleura is attached to the chest wall and the visceral pleura
covers the surface of the lungs. Between these layers of pleura is a potential space i.e. a space that
doesn’t exist but it could exist if something goes wrong. There is a small amount of fluid in this potential
space, this serous fluid acts like a lubricant.

The purpose of the pleura is to allow the lungs to move inside the body cavity without friction as friction
would cause damage to the lungs and the tissue in the chest wall. Imagine that if you got an empty
balloon and put a few drops of a lubricant such as olive oil inside it. You can rub the two sides of the
balloon against each other very smoothly and easily.