How to Make a Homemade Spirometer
What is a spirometer? People with respiratory disorders use spirometer to measure their lung capacity, and the readings are used to assess their lung function. A spirometer indicates how much air the lungs are taking in and releasing. The devices are used often by asthmatics to monitor their condition, and doctors can use them to diagnose certain conditions. A homemade spirometer can be used for experimental purposes. Seek out medical attention if you need to monitor or diagnosis a condition.
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Things You'll Need
- 2-Liter plastic soda bottle
- Masking tape
- Waterproof marker
- Large beaker with measurement lines
- Deep bowl
- 1- to-2-foot-long piece of plastic aquarium tubing
Instructions
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Spirometer Construction
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1
Remove the cap from the plastic bottle, and drain the bottle of any soda. Rinse it out completely before tearing off the label. Put a piece of masking tape along the side of the bottle vertically.
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2
Pour 60 ml of water into a beaker. Add the water into the plastic bottle, and mark the water level on the masking tape with the marker. Repeat this process until the bottle is full.
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3
After cleaning the bowl, fill it with 4 inches of water. Fasten the cap on the plastic bottle. Turn the bottle over and set it cap-first in the bowl.
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4
While it is underwater, tilt the bottle to one side and unfasten the cap.
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5
Slip one end of the tubing into the opening of the bottle.
To Use The Spirometer
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6
While supporting the bottle with one hand, grip the loose end of the tubing with the other, and hold it above the bowl. Enlist someone to keep an eye on the markings.
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7
Before blowing into the tubing, inhale as much as you can. Blow into it until all your air has exhaled. Bubbles will form in the water. Ask your partner to take note of which line the bubbles reach while you exhale.
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8
Write down the number of lines from the opening of the bottle to the line the bubbles reached. Multiply that number by 60 to discover the number of your lung capacity.
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Tips & Warnings
Homemade spirometers are for science experiments only and are not to be used to diagnosis or monitor any conditions. Only a qualified physician is capable of doing that.
