Steven Yang, Thomas Zhan, Justin Zhao Y10
Biology (Mr Kim)
11/12/2020
Intensity of Exercise and Lung Capacity
Introduction:
This is an experiment to find if the increasing intensity of exercise (star jumps) will
affect the lung capacity. Also, it is to find why the capacity of the lung increases as the intensity
of the exercise increases. Our experiment will show how the lung capacity is related to the
intensity of the exercise. This is useful to know because people feel that they need to breathe
faster and deeper as they change the intensity of their exercise and they should know the reason
for the phenomenon.
Hypothesis:
We predict that as the intensity of the exercise increases, the lung capacity will increase
because as the intensity of exercise increases, the breathing rate will increase and our bodies
will want more air per each inhalation.
Variables:
-
The independent variable is the time of exercise.
-
The dependent variable is the breathing rate and lung capacity of the person after
different intensities of exercise.
-
The control variable is the person being tested that should bring fair results.
Equipment List:
● A stopwatch
● Comfortable clothes
● Trainers
● Balloon
● Person to do the exercise and exhale in the balloon
Risk Assessment:
nonononononononononononononononononononononononononononononononononononono
Hazard
Risk
Precaution
Muscles not ready for
exercise
Getting the muscles injured
while they are not ready
Warm up (stretch out) before
exercise
Clutter or mess in the
corridor
Falling over and causing
injury
Clean the corridors before
experiment
Not doing the exercise in the
proper form (pose)
Could cause inaccurate data
and could cause the person
to fall over and be injured
Check the pose of the body
doing the exercise before
starting the experiment
Methods:
1. Stretch the balloon to make it flexible during
2. Blow the maximum amount of breath into the balloon and measure the diameter at
rest.
3. Measure the breathing rate by counting the number of breaths for 30 seconds and
multiply by 2.
4. Stretch out and warm up.
5. Do the first set of exercise (2 minutes of star jumps).
6. Blow in the maximum amount of breath into the balloon and measure the diameter.
7. Measure the breathing rate by counting the number of breaths for 30 seconds and
multiply by 2.
8. Take some rest until the breathing rate returns to normal (the number of breaths in the
resting column.
9. Repeat steps 5-8 for another 3 times.
10. Organize the data and make a result table.
Measuring Tidal Volume:
1. Stretch the balloon to make it easier to fill.
2. Breath normally a number of times. Take a normal breath and exhale a normal
amount of air into the balloon.
3. Hold the end of the balloon shut to stop the air from escaping.
4. Measure the balloon’s diameter in centimeters with a ruler and record as Tidal
Volume in your table. Repeat three times and calculate the average Tidal Volume.
5. Discuss in pairs which formula would be the most suitable to calculate the volume of
air in the balloon. (Use the formula 4/3πr3)
Tables:
2 Minutes of
Star Jumps
Rest Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3
Volume of
Balloon
(Estimated)
(cm3)
2572 1437
% of Increase 0
-44
1596
1150
11
-28
The standard deviation for the results for the results of the trials is 226.
2 Minutes of
Star Jumps
Rest Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3
Breathing
Rate (per
minute)
28
% of Increase 0
84
74
80
200
-12
8
The standard deviation for the results for the results of the trials is 5.
Percent increase:
(new value minus initial value and divide by initial value and
multiply by 100%)
1437-2572= -1135, -1135/2572= -0.44*100%= -44%
Volume of balloon: For 2572cm3, the radius is 8.5cm that 4/3π(8.5)3=2572cm3
Standard deviation:
For the breathing rate, the variable x is the number after
each trial of exercise so 84, 74, and 80. The average is 79. The differences of the variable x’s
and the average are 5, -5, and 1. If we square them, they are 25, 25, and 1. The sum is 51 and
if we root the value of 51 divided by 2 (how many numbers minus 1), approximately 5 comes
out.
Graphs:
(The graph has a small error bound due to the huge difference in units)
Analysis:
Our group has found out that the breathing rate increases, but the volume of the balloon
actually decreased after two minutes of intense exercise. The breathing rate increased because
the body uses more oxygen and needs to remove carbon dioxide more quickly. Therefore, to
cope with the increasing demand of oxygen, the body needs to inhale air with oxygen more
frequently. Since the body needs more oxygen, the lung capacity should increase by showing
the increase in volume of the balloon. However, the volume of the balloon decreased after two
minutes of intensive exercise. This means that the lung capacity has decreased after two
minutes of intensive star jumps.
Conclusion:
Our original hypothesis was the lung capacity and the breathing rate both increasing
after two minutes of intensive star jumps. However, our hypothesis was wrong that the lung
capacity actually decreased after the intensive exercises. This is shown in the graph and the
table where the volume of the balloon decreased. This means that the person had to breathe
faster and could only exhale a short amount of breath per each exhalation. When during
intensive exercise, the body needs more oxygen to create energy by breaking down glucose.
Carbon dioxide and other waste products should be removed from the body and more oxygen
needs to come inside the body through inhalation and exhalation. Therefore, the experiment
should have resulted in the volume of the balloon increasing that tells that the lung capacity
has increased.
Evaluation:
There were anomalies in the results where it did not follow the linear pattern of the
results. Our group could not make more attempts due to time constraints. To have more
accurate results in the future, our group could have made a couple of more attempts (if more
time is given). Also, our group could have tested more than one person because one person
does not represent what happens to the human lung capacity after intensive exercise.
Experimenting more people can reduce anomalies that could happen. Also, as there are more
results from more people, a more accurate result could be obtained.