Measuring Lung Capacity 1

Measuring Lung Capacity 1 Name Eli Thuilot Measuring Lung Capacity Background Information: We need a constant supply of oxygen in order to stay alive. We use oxygen to break down food to release energy and produce carbon dioxide as a waste product. We need to continually take in oxygen from the air and expel carbon dioxide into the air. The respiratory system functions to filter, warm, and humidify the air we breathe, and to supply cells with oxygen while removing carbon dioxide. Air moves into the lungs through the trachea and then back out again. When each breath is completed, the lung still has some air, called the residual volume. Each inhalation adds additional air. Each exhalation removes about the same volume as was inhaled. The amount (volume / capacity) of air in the lungs can be measured several ways: TOTAL LUNG CAPACITY the amount of air in the lungs after a deep Inhalation; The vital capacity plus the residual volume RESIDUAL LUNG CAPACITY the amount of air left in the lungs after a deep exhalation VITAL LUNG CAPACITY the amount of air exhaled in one breath; The maximum amount of air that can be forcibly exhaled after breathing in as much as possible. TIDAL LUNG CAPACITY-The amount of air your lungs hold during normal breathing; the amount of air moved in and out of the body in one breath Lung capacities or volumes differ with age, sex, body frame and aerobic fitness. Measuring your lung capacity can help you determine how much stamina you have available to go about your daily routine, include sports and other activities. Usually you need about 1/3 of your lung capacity to carry out routine tasks that do not require exertion. It is also possible for you to increase your lung capacity through regular exercise. Your lung capacity may be affected by certain disorders such as asthma and emphysema. Cigarette smoking will give you noticeable signs of emphysema after only three years of use. Such things as altitude, the position your body is in, air temperature, weather conditions, and air pollution may also contribute to a decrease in lung capacity. Volume or capacity is measured in liters (1), milliliters (mL) and cubic centimeters (cm³). One mL is equal to one cm³. Measuring Lung Capacity 2 The amount of air that you move in and out of your lungs while breathing normally is called TIDAL CAPACITY. This amount of air gives enough oxygen for a person who is resting. It is possible to inhale and exhale more forcefully the maximum amount of air moved in and out of the lungs is called the VITAL CAPACITY. Materials: Balloon Metric ruler Procedure: 1. Measure your Tidal Capacity - a. Stretch a round balloon several times to stretch it out. b. Inhale normally and then exhale normally into the balloon. c. Pinch the end of the balloon and measure its diameter. Record the data. See diagram: d. Repeat for a total of 5 measurements. Record the data. Mulric ruler Diameter 2. Measure your Vital Capacity a. Repeat step 1 of the procedure, only this time inhale and exhale as much air as you can. 3. Use the graph below to convert the balloon diameters to volume. Record. Lung volume (cubic centimeters) 8000 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 Balloon diameter (centimeters) Data: Measuring Lung Capacity 3 Tidal Capacity Vital Capacity Balloon Diameter (cm) Volume of air (cc) Balloon Diameter (cm) Volume of air (cc) Trial 1 12.0 500 22.0 4800 2 11.5 450 21.0 4200 3 12.5 550 22.5 5000 4 12.0 500 21.5 4500 5 13.0 600 23.0 5200 Average 12.2 520 22.0 4800 Questions & Conclusions: 1. What is meant by lung capacity? Lung capacity is the amount volume of air the lungs can hold. different capacities are measured 2. Compare your data to other members of your group. How can you account for differences? the average tidal volume in the table is ~520 cc and average vital capacity is ~4800 cc. Other group members may have different values because of: Technique/measurement error (how fully they inhaled/exhaled, how accurately the balloon was measured), Biological differences (age, sex, body size, chest size), Health and fitness (respiratory illness, recent exercise, smoking), Equipment differences (balloon elasticity, leaks). 3. How might an athlete's vital capacity compare to a non-athlete? Explain your reasoning. An athlete will generally have a larger vital capacity than a similar non-athlete. Regular aerobic training strengthens respiratory muscles, can increase lung efficiency and chest wall mobility, and often correlates with larger body size. However, individual variation still matters, so not every athlete will have a higher vital capacity than every non-athlete. Measuring Lung Capacity 4 Application: Examine the data table of a person who entered into a training program. This person's vital capacity was measured over a 60 day period. Graph the data. Training Data Training Day Vital Capacity 10 4800 20 4840 30 4890 4930 40 4980 50 5180 60 5260 ATTENTION! Give your graph a title Label both axes with labels and units Effect of Training on Vital Capacity 5200 Vital Capacity (cc) 5100 5000 4900 0 4800 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Training Day (days) Measuring Lung Capacity 5 1. What happened to the person's vital capacity over the course of the training period? The person's vital capacity increased steadily from 4800 cc on day 0 to 5260 cc on day 60. 2. What probably caused the change? EXPLAIN YOUR ANSWER. The increase was most likely caused by regular training, which strengthened the respiratory muscles (like the diaphragm and intercostals) and improved lung efficiency, allowing the lungs to hold and use more air. 3. How might vital capacity be important to a musician? EXPLAIN YOUR ANSWER For musicians who sing or play wind instruments, a larger vital capacity allows them to hold notes longer, control breath better, and produce stronger, clearer sounds. It helps with endurance and overall performance quality.