Lung volume

By Leslie Palma
and lung VOLUME
LUNG capacities refer to the volume of
air associated with different phases of the
respiratory cycle. Lung volumes are directly
measured. Lung capacities are inferred
from lung volumes.
The average total lung capacity of an adult
human male is about 6 litres of air, but only
a small amount of this capacity is used
during normal breathing.
 Spirometer is an apparatus for measuring
the volume of air inspired and expired by
the lungs. It is a precision differential
pressure transducer for the measurements
of respiration flow rates. The spirometer
records the amount of air and the rate of
air that is breathed in and out over a
specified time. The Spirometer and
attached flow head function together as a
pneumotachometer, with an output signal
proportional to airflow
 Tidal volume
 is the lung volume representing
the normal volume of air
displaced between normal
inspiration and expiration when
extra effort is not applied. Typical
values are around 500ml or 7ml/kg
bodyweight

Tidal volume (Vt) = 500 / 390 mL
The amount of air breathed in or out
during normal respiration. The volume of
Measured
air an individual is normally breathing in
and out.

The amount of air left in the lungs after a

maximal exhalation. The amount of air that
Residual volume
= 1.2 / 0.93 L Measured is always in the lungs and can never be
(RV)
expired (i.e.: the amount of air that stays in
the lungs after maximum expiration).
Residual volume
It is the remaining volume that prevents the
collapse of lung structures during expiration.
Inspiratory reserve volume
It is the extra air being inhaled after a person
takes a deep breath.
Expiratory reserve volume
Extra air that can be exhaled after a forced
breath.
 The amount of additional air that can be
pushed out after the end expiratory level of
normal breathing. (At the end of a normal
Expiratory
breath, the lungs contain the residual volume
reserve volume = 1.2 / 0.93 L Measured
plus the expiratory reserve volume, or around
(ERV)
2.4 litres. If one then goes on and exhales as
much as possible, only the residual volume of
1.2 litres remains).

The additional air that can be inhaled after a

Inspiratory measured or
normal tidal breath in. The maximum volume of
reserve volume = 3.0 / 2.3 L IRV=VC-
air that can be inspired in addition to the tidal
(IRV) (Vt+ERV)
volume.