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Respiratory Volumes

Mediumbiology

Which volume cannot be measured by a spirometer?

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About This Question

Subject
biology
Chapter
breathing and exchange of gases
Topic
respiratory volumes
Difficulty
Medium
Year
2025
Tags
neet-biology-essentialsInstruments

Solution

Correct Answer:

Residual Volume

  1. Spirometry: A clinical test used to measure volumes of air inhaled and exhaled.
  2. Measurable Volumes: Tidal Volume (), IRV, and ERV can all be exhaled into the device.
  3. Non-measurable Volume: Residual Volume () is the amount of air remaining in the lungs even after a forceful expiration. Since it never leaves the lungs, it cannot be measured by a spirometer.
  4. Capacities: Consequently, capacities containing (like FRC and TLC) also cannot be measured directly.
  5. Conclusion: Residual Volume cannot be measured by spirometry.

This medium difficulty biology question is from the chapter breathing and exchange of gases, covering the topic of respiratory volumes. It appeared in the 2025 exam.

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