Which term describes the amount of air inhaled or exhaled with each breath?

Which term describes the amount of air inhaled or exhaled with each breath?

• A. Residual Volume
• B. Inspiratory Reserve Volume
• C. Tidal Volume
• D. Vital Capacity

Answer: (C)

Tidal volume describes the amount of air moved in or out with each normal breath. In a healthy adult, this is about 500 mL during quiet breathing, representing the regular, everyday air exchange. Other volumes aren’t about the typical breath: residual volume is the air left in the lungs after a full exhale (not exchanged in that breath), inspiratory reserve volume is the extra air you can inhale beyond a normal inhale, and vital capacity is the total amount of air you can exhale after a maximal inhale (tidal volume plus inspiratory and expiratory reserves). So, the term that matches the amount inhaled or exhaled per breath is tidal volume.

Tidal volume describes the amount of air moved in or out with each normal breath. In a healthy adult, this is about 500 mL during quiet breathing, representing the regular, everyday air exchange. Other volumes aren’t about the typical breath: residual volume is the air left in the lungs after a full exhale (not exchanged in that breath), inspiratory reserve volume is the extra air you can inhale beyond a normal inhale, and vital capacity is the total amount of air you can exhale after a maximal inhale (tidal volume plus inspiratory and expiratory reserves). So, the term that matches the amount inhaled or exhaled per breath is tidal volume.