NO-COST SPIROMETER TO MEASURE

VITAL LUNG CAPACITY

Dr. G. NAGARAJ

Zoology Section
Regional Institute of Education (NCERT)
Mysore – 570 006
India 1
gnriem@gmail.com
 Introduction

• Lung function tests are useful in assessing the functional

status of the respiratory system both in physiological and
pathological conditions.

• These tests are based on the measurement of volume of air

breathed in and out.

• Air in the lung is classified as Lung volume and Lung

capacities.

2
 Lung Volume (LV)

It is the static volume of air breathed or volume of air present in

lung under specific static condition. It is of four types:

1. Tidal Volume (TV): Volume of air breathed in and out of lungs

in a single normal respiration (500 ml).
2. Inspiratory Reserve Volume (IRV): additional volume of air
that can be inspired forcefully after normal inspiration (3300
ml).
3. Expiratory Reserve Volume (ERV): additional volume of air
that can be expired out forcefully after normal expiration
(3300 ml).
4. Residual Volume (RV): Volume of air remaining in the lungs
even after forced expiration (1200 ml).
3
 Lung Capacity (LC)

It is the combination of two or more lung volumes

and of four types;

1. Inspiratory Capacity (IC): = TV + IRV = 3800 ml

2. Vital Capacity (VC): = TV + IRV = ERV = 4800 ml

3. Functional Residual Capacity (FRC): = ERV + RV = 2200 ml

4. Total Lung Capacity (TLC): = IRV + TV + ERV + RV = 6000 ml

4
 Measurement of LV and LC
Spirometry is the method to measure LV and LC. The instrument
used is called SPIROMETER.
Pic-1. Regular Spirormeter

The above instrument is relatively complicated and costlier.

Hence, I improvised a no-cost/ home-made instrument from the
waste materials.
5
 Preparation of SPIROMETER
Pic-2 Materials Required

A. Materials Required:

1. 2L/ 5L and 1L water bottles

(waste)

2. One rubber cork/ bottle cap/

thermo coal

3. Two glass tube pieces (5mm 2L water bottle 1L water bottle

dia.)/ empty ball pen case
glass tube
cork
cap
4. Two feet rubber tube (5mm dia.)
rubber tube

6
 B. Assembling the Instrument

1. Make two holes in the rubber cork/ Pic-3. Improvised Spirometer

cap / thermo coal
2. Insert two glass tubes/ empty ball
pen case in each hole; one short
and one long reaching bottom
outflow
Water
3. Fix one feet rubber tube on top of Inflow
each glass tube (one for inflow and

Graduated measuring bottle

one for out flow)
4. Fix this cork / cap in the bottle
mouth and make sure it is air tight
(as shown in picture-3)
5. Convert 1L bottle as graduated
measuring cylinder by calibrating it
with regular measuring cylinder

7
 Working Mechanism & Procedure
1. This apparatus works based on ‘pressure’
2. Remove the cork, fill 80% the bottle with water, fix the cork
again and insert the out-let tube in the measuring bottle.
3. Inspire forcefully to the maximum and blow air forcefully
through the inlet pipe
4. The air entered in the bottle displaces equal amount of water
(Archimedes Principle) and it is collected & measured in
measuring bottle
5. Measured volume of water is equal to the VITAL CAPACITY
(VC) of lung (IRV + TV +ERV = 4800 ml)
6. Again fill water in the 2L bottle and repeat the experiment with
other persons at school, home and neighbor area.
8
 Project
Take up a small project to find out:

A. Is there any significant difference in VC between;

• Male & female
• Smokers & non-smokers
• Athletes & non-athletes
• Singers & non-singers
• Vegetarians &non-vegetarians
• Anemic &non-anemic
• Alcohol takers & non-takers
• Rural & urban subjects etc.

B. Whether VC has any relation with age, height, weight, yoga,

exercise, occupation, health status and respiratory disorder.

Record your observation and present as project report. 9

 Advantages of this Instrument

1. The instrument is improvised from waste material

hence, no expenditure

2. Simple experiments/ projects can be conducted at

schools and even at home

3. Develops creative thinking, enquiry and

experimentation attitude

4. Learning by doing; so creates interest in learning.

10
Thank you

11