Which term is defined as the maximum amount of air exhaled after the lungs have been filled to capacity?

Which term is defined as the maximum amount of air exhaled after the lungs have been filled to capacity?

• A. Total lung capacity
• B. Residual volume
• C. Tidal volume
• D. Vital capacity

Answer: (D)

Understanding how much air you can move in and out of the lungs helps explain this. When you take a deep breath to full capacity, the air you can then blow out as forcefully as possible is called vital capacity. It’s made up of the air you would normally inhale (tidal volume) plus the extra air you can take in beyond normal (inspiratory reserve) and the extra air you can exhale beyond normal (expiratory reserve). It does not include residual volume, which remains in the lungs after a maximum exhale. In contrast, total lung capacity is all the air the lungs can hold after a maximal inhale (including residual volume); tidal volume is the amount moved with regular breathing; residual volume is the air that stays in the lungs after a full exhale.

Understanding how much air you can move in and out of the lungs helps explain this. When you take a deep breath to full capacity, the air you can then blow out as forcefully as possible is called vital capacity. It’s made up of the air you would normally inhale (tidal volume) plus the extra air you can take in beyond normal (inspiratory reserve) and the extra air you can exhale beyond normal (expiratory reserve). It does not include residual volume, which remains in the lungs after a maximum exhale. In contrast, total lung capacity is all the air the lungs can hold after a maximal inhale (including residual volume); tidal volume is the amount moved with regular breathing; residual volume is the air that stays in the lungs after a full exhale.