A spirometer is a device used to measure lung volume. A person using a spirometer breathes in and out of the airtight chamber, thus causing it to move up and down, leaving a trace on a graph which can then be interpreted
what is vital capacity?
Vital capacity is the maximum volume of air that can be inhaled or exhaled in a single breath.
What are the factors that impact vital capacity?
Gender
Age
Size
Height
What is tidal volume?
tidal volume is the volume of air we breathe in and out at each breath at rest
What is breathing rate?
Breathing rate is the number of breaths per minute, can be calculated from the spirometer
trace by counting the number of peaks or troughs in a minute
The volume of air which is always present in the lungs is known as the residual volume.
The tidal volume can be exceeded, in cases such as during exercise where the inspiratory reserve
volume is reached in an attempt to increase amount of air breathed in.
The expiratory reserve volume is the additional volume of air that can be exhaled on top of the tidal volume
