The amount of air left in the lungs after a normal expiration, labeled D in the spirogram, is called the
A)inspiratory capacity
B)vital capacity
C)total lung capacity
D)functional residual capacity
E)minute volume of respiration

Question

The amount of air left in the lungs after a normal expiration, labeled D in the spirogram, is called the 
A)inspiratory capacity 
B)vital capacity 
C)total lung capacity 
D)functional residual capacity 
E)minute volume of respiration

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The functional residual capacity (FRC) is the amount of air left in the lungs after a normal expiration. It is the balance point between the inward recoil of the lungs and the outward recoil of the chest wall. The other answer choices are as follows: A) inspiratory capacity is the maximum volume of air that can be inspired after a normal expiration; B) vital capacity is the maximum volume of air that can be exhaled after a maximum inhalation; C) total lung capacity is the total volume of air that the lungs can hold, including both inspiratory reserve volume and expiratory reserve volume; E) minute volume of respiration is the volume of air that is moved in and out of the lungs per minute.

The Amount of Air Left in the Lungs After a Normal