Respiratory terms

• pulmonary diffusion

  ability to pass oxygen into the blood from the air sacs of the lungs, and pass CO2 back into the lungs from the blood
• tidal volume

  amount of air breathed in and out with each breath
• respiratory rate


  number of breaths per minute
• minute ventilation


  volume of air breathed in and out in one minute

  • respiratory rate x tidal volume
• ventilation


  the process of air flowing into and out of the lungs
• inspiration


  breathe in
• expiration


  breathe out
• vital capacity


  a maximum exhalation after a maximum inhalation
• inspiratory reserve volume


  max amount of air that can be breathed in on top of a normal inhalation
• expiratory reserve volume


  max amount of air that can be breathed out on top of a normal exhalation
• residual volume


  amount of air left in the lungs after a max forced expiration
• total lung capacity


  residual volume + vital capacity