Certified Personal Trainer (NSCA) Practice Exam

Which of the following components make up total lung capacity?

1. Minute ventilation and residual lung volume

2. Residual lung volume and tidal volume

3. Minute ventilation and forced vital capacity

4. Residual lung volume and forced vital capacity

The correct answer is: Residual lung volume and forced vital capacity

Total lung capacity is the maximum amount of air the lungs can hold, which is made up of various components. The correct option highlights two key measurements: residual lung volume and forced vital capacity. Residual lung volume refers to the amount of air that remains in the lungs after a full exhalation. This volume is crucial because it prevents the lungs from collapsing and provides a reserve of air that can be used for gas exchange even at the end of a forced expiration. Forced vital capacity, on the other hand, is the total amount of air that can be forcibly exhaled after taking a deepest possible breath. It represents the primary usable volume of air for respiration during activities and is a critical measure of pulmonary function. Together, these two components encompass the total lung capacity, as they account for the maximum air present in the lungs during the complete breathing cycle. Understanding the relationship between these lung volumes is essential for evaluating respiratory health and performance, particularly in varied populations such as athletes, people with lung conditions, and rehabilitative patients. The other choices include components that do not entirely correspond to total lung capacity, such as minute ventilation, which measures the volume of air inhaled or exhaled per minute but does not reflect the total static lung volume.