CARDIOPULMONARY ANATOMY AND
PHYSIOLOGY EXAM ACTUAL EXAM PAPER
2026 QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED
A+
⩥ What is Inspiratory Reserve Volume? (IRV). Answer: Amount of air
that can be forcefully inhaled after a normal tidal volume inhalation.
About 3100 mL for the average male. About 1900 mL for the average
female.
⩥ What is Expiratory Reserve Volume? (ERV). Answer: amount of air
that can be forcefully exhaled after a normal tidal volume expiration.
About 1200 mL for the average male. About 800 mL for the average
female.
⩥ What is Residual Volume? (RV). Answer: The amount of gas that
stays in the lungs after we forcefully exhale. It's the volume that keeps
our lungs from collapsing. About 1200 mL for the average male. About
1000 mL for the average female.
⩥ What is Vital Capacity? (VC). Answer: Maximum volume of air that
can be exhaled after maximum inspiration (VC = IRV + Vt + ERV).
About 4800 mL for the average male. About 3200 mL for the average
female.
, ⩥ What is Inspiratory Capacity? (IC). Answer: Maximum volume of air
that can be inhaled after normal expiration (IC = Vt + IRV). About 3600
mL for the average male. About 2400 mL for the average female.
⩥ What is Functional Residual Capacity? (FRC). Answer: Volume of air
remaining in lungs at end of normal exhalation (FRC = ERV + RV).
About 2400 mL for the average male. About 1800 mL for the average
female.
⩥ What is Total Lung Capacity? (TLC). Answer: Maxiumum volume of
air that lungs can contain. (TLC = IRV + Vt + ERV + RV). About 6000
mL for the average male. About 4200 mL for the average female.
⩥ What is an obstructive lung disorder?. Answer: An obstructive lung
disorder is when an individual has trouble getting air out. The RV, VT,
and FRC increase, while the VC, IC, IRV, and ERV are decreased. (Ex.
Asthma)
⩥ What is a restrictive lung disorder?. Answer: A restrictive lung
disorder is when an individual has trouble getting air in. The VC, IC, RV,
FRC, VT, and TLC are all decreased. (Ex. lung stiffness, lung scarring,
OSA, or muscular dystrophy)
⩥ What is a closed-circuit helium dilution test?. Answer: It's a test that
requires an individual to rebreathe from a spirometer that contains gas
and helium (10%). This lasts for 7 minutes and when the helium changes
PHYSIOLOGY EXAM ACTUAL EXAM PAPER
2026 QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED
A+
⩥ What is Inspiratory Reserve Volume? (IRV). Answer: Amount of air
that can be forcefully inhaled after a normal tidal volume inhalation.
About 3100 mL for the average male. About 1900 mL for the average
female.
⩥ What is Expiratory Reserve Volume? (ERV). Answer: amount of air
that can be forcefully exhaled after a normal tidal volume expiration.
About 1200 mL for the average male. About 800 mL for the average
female.
⩥ What is Residual Volume? (RV). Answer: The amount of gas that
stays in the lungs after we forcefully exhale. It's the volume that keeps
our lungs from collapsing. About 1200 mL for the average male. About
1000 mL for the average female.
⩥ What is Vital Capacity? (VC). Answer: Maximum volume of air that
can be exhaled after maximum inspiration (VC = IRV + Vt + ERV).
About 4800 mL for the average male. About 3200 mL for the average
female.
, ⩥ What is Inspiratory Capacity? (IC). Answer: Maximum volume of air
that can be inhaled after normal expiration (IC = Vt + IRV). About 3600
mL for the average male. About 2400 mL for the average female.
⩥ What is Functional Residual Capacity? (FRC). Answer: Volume of air
remaining in lungs at end of normal exhalation (FRC = ERV + RV).
About 2400 mL for the average male. About 1800 mL for the average
female.
⩥ What is Total Lung Capacity? (TLC). Answer: Maxiumum volume of
air that lungs can contain. (TLC = IRV + Vt + ERV + RV). About 6000
mL for the average male. About 4200 mL for the average female.
⩥ What is an obstructive lung disorder?. Answer: An obstructive lung
disorder is when an individual has trouble getting air out. The RV, VT,
and FRC increase, while the VC, IC, IRV, and ERV are decreased. (Ex.
Asthma)
⩥ What is a restrictive lung disorder?. Answer: A restrictive lung
disorder is when an individual has trouble getting air in. The VC, IC, RV,
FRC, VT, and TLC are all decreased. (Ex. lung stiffness, lung scarring,
OSA, or muscular dystrophy)
⩥ What is a closed-circuit helium dilution test?. Answer: It's a test that
requires an individual to rebreathe from a spirometer that contains gas
and helium (10%). This lasts for 7 minutes and when the helium changes
