Measuring the process Flashcards
The amount of gaseous exchange that needs to take place in your lungs will vary depending on your…
- size
- activity level
- sex
- age
How can the volume of air that moves in and out of your lungs be measured?
- A peak flow meter
- Vitalographs
- A spirometer
What is a peak flow meter?
A device that measures the rate at which air can be expelled from the lungs.
What is a vitalograph?
Vitalographs are more sophisticated versions of the peak flow meter.
The pateint breathes out as quickly as they can through a mouthpeice, and the instrument produces a graph of the amount of air they breathe out and how quickly it is breathed out.
This volume of air is called the forced expiratory volume in 1 second.
What is a spirometer used for?
It measures different aspects of the lung volume, or to investigate breathing patterns.
What different aspects of lung volume can be measured using a spirometer?
- Tidal volume
- Vital capacity
- Inspiratory reserve volume
- Expiraory reserve volume
- Residual volume
- Total lung capacity
What is tidal volume?
The volume of air that moves in and out of the lungs with each resting breath. (makes a little wave shape on the graph).
What is the average tidal volume of adults?
500cm3 (15% of the vital capacity of the lungs)
What is the vital capacity?
The volume of air that can be breathed in when the strongest possible exhalation is followed by the deepest possible intake of breath.
What is the inspiratory reserve volume?
The maximum volume of air you can breathe in.
What is the expiratory reserve volume?
The extra amount of air you can force out of your lungs.
What is the residual volume?
The volume of air that is left in your lungs when you have exhaled as hard as possible.
Draw and label a spirometer
Check page 163
What is the total lung capacity?
The sum of the vital capacity and the residual volume.
Draw a graph showing all the aspects that can be measured and label them.
Check page 164
