Respiration – Respiratory Volumes and Capacities: NEET MCQs with Answers

Explanation: Residual volume is the air remaining in the lungs after a forcible expiration (A-III); vital capacity is the maximum air that can be breathed in after a forced expiration (B-I); expiratory capacity is the total air that can be expired after a normal inspiration (C-IV); tidal volume is the air inspired or expired during normal respiration (D-II).

Explanation: Vital capacity = ERV + TV + IRV (a correct); it is the maximum volume of air a person can breathe in after a forced expiration (c correct) or breathe out after a forced inspiration (e correct). Statement (b) defines inspiratory capacity, and (d) wrongly includes RV, which can never be expelled.

Explanation: Residual volume is the air that remains in the lungs after the most forceful expiration and is chiefly held in the alveoli. Of the options given, only residual volume corresponds to a figure of this order. The maximum air that can be breathed in and out is the vital capacity (3500–4500 mL), while expiratory reserve volume is about 1000–1200 mL.

Explanation: Vital capacity is the sum of inspiratory reserve volume, tidal volume and expiratory reserve volume, about 4800 mL. Since total lung capacity is vital capacity plus residual volume, the vital capacity equals total lung capacity minus residual volume.

Explanation: Inspiratory capacity is tidal volume plus inspiratory reserve volume, about 3000-3500 mL, so it pairs with 3500 mL. Residual volume, the air left after a forcible expiration, is about 1100-1200 mL, so it pairs with 1200 mL.

Explanation: Even after the most forceful expiration, roughly 1100–1200 mL of air remains in the lungs. This is the residual volume, and it is what keeps the alveoli from collapsing between breaths.

Explanation: Tidal Volume is the air inspired or expired during a normal breath, about 500–550 mL (1-iii). Inspiratory Reserve Volume is the extra air that can be inspired after a normal inspiration, about 2500–3000 mL (2-i). Expiratory Reserve Volume is the extra air that can be forcibly expired after a normal expiration, about 1000–1100 mL (3-iv). Residual Volume is the air still left after the most forceful expiration, about 1100–1200 mL (4-ii).

Explanation: Expiratory capacity = Tidal volume + Expiratory reserve volume = 500 + 1000 = 1500 mL. The residual volume is not part of expiratory capacity and is given here only as a distractor.

Explanation: Vital capacity is the maximum volume of air a person can breathe in after a forced expiration — equivalently the maximum that can be breathed out after a forced inspiration. It includes ERV, TV and IRV.

Explanation: Total lung capacity is the sum of all four primary respiratory volumes: RV + ERV + TV + IRV. Equivalently, TLC = vital capacity + residual volume. The other options double-count by mixing capacities that already contain the same volumes.

Explanation: Vital capacity is the maximum volume of air a person can exhale after taking the deepest possible breath. It is calculated as VC = TV + IRV + ERV and is a widely used measure of lung function. Residual volume is excluded because it can never be expelled.

Explanation: Expiratory capacity = TV + ERV (A-II); Functional residual capacity = ERV + RV (B-IV); Vital capacity = ERV + TV + IRV (C-I); Inspiratory capacity = TV + IRV (D-III).

Explanation: Vital capacity is the greatest volume that can be expired after the deepest possible inspiration, and it equals the tidal volume together with both reserve volumes. Since the only part of the total lung capacity it excludes is the air that cannot be expelled, it is the total lung capacity minus the residual volume.

Explanation: Residual volume is the air that remains in the lungs even after the most forceful expiration, and it keeps the alveoli from collapsing and allows gas exchange to continue between breaths. Older texts place it at about 1500 ml.

Explanation: The electron transport chain and ATP synthase are located on the inner mitochondrial membrane, so oxidative phosphorylation occurs there, not on the outer membrane. Glycolysis occurs in the cytosol and needs NAD⁺, and TCA cycle enzymes are in the matrix.