Functional Residual Capacity (FRC)

Functional Residual Capacity (FRC) is the amount of air remaining in your lungs after a normal exhalation. It represents the lung volume that stays in your lungs when you relax your breathing muscles and breathe out naturally. FRC is important because it keeps your lungs partially inflated, preventing them from collapsing and allowing for quick and efficient breathing when you need to inhale again. It is influenced by factors like lung elasticity and chest wall mechanics, and it provides a baseline for measuring lung health and function.