A device and a process for determining the change in the functional residual capacity (FRC) in a simple manner. Based on a first respiration phase for mechanical respiration, a recruitment maneuver is performed for this during a second respiration phase, and respiration is switched back to mechanical respiration during a third respiration phase. Reference values Uref/1, Uref/3 are formed from the end-expiratory values of the impedance measured signals U during the first respiration phase and the third respiration phase, and the difference ΔU (ΔFRC) between the reference value Uref/3 of the third respiration phase and the reference value Uref/1 of the first respiration phase is an indicator of the change in the functional residual capacity of the lung of the test subject.