Final answer:
Vital capacity (VC) is not a lung volume; it is a lung capacity consisting of tidal volume, expiratory reserve volume, and inspiratory reserve volume. VC is the total air that can be exchanged, while individual lung volumes each serve different roles in the breathing process.
Step-by-step explanation:
The option that is NOT a lung volume is (e) Vital capacity (VC). Vital capacity is actually a lung capacity, which is the sum of three lung volumes: tidal volume (TV), expiratory reserve volume (ERV), and inspiratory reserve volume (IRV). This capacity represents the total amount of air that can be exchanged through breathing. Each lung volume serves a different purpose:
- Tidal volume (TV) is the air inhaled or exhaled in a normal breath.
- Inspiratory reserve volume (IRV) is the extra air that can be inhaled after a normal inhalation.
- Expiratory reserve volume (ERV) is the additional air that can be forcibly exhaled after the end of a normal expiration.
- Residual volume (RV) is the air remaining in the lungs after a maximal exhalation, keeping the alveoli open and preventing lung collapse.