Name:
Class:
Influencing Your Heart Rate
Objective: To investigate factors that influences the human heart rate and
consider our overall health in relation to our heart rate. To learn how to
calculate heart rates and convert values to American and metric. To learn
and practice science vocabulary (see underlined words below).
Materials: yourself, pencil, calculator, and a clock
Calculating a heart rate:
1) Find pulse in neck
2) Count how many beats are felt in 15 seconds
3) Take the number of beats felt and multiply by 4
4) Record that number as your heart rate
Procedure:
Normal Heart Rate
1. Obtain a pencil and calculator. Students will be collecting their own data in the activity. This is
not a group effort.
2. Find your normal heart rate. This serves as a baseline (something to compare to later) and is
important in laboratory experiments. Sit at your seat doing nothing. Find the pulse of the
neck.
3. Calculate your heart rate. See instructions above.
4. Repeat step 2 & 3 twice. Each time record the heart rate in the table on page 2. (3 trials in all)
Holding Breath
5. After holding your breath for 1 minute determine your new heart rate.
6. Repeat step 5 twice and record all 3 trials in the table on page 2.
Exercise and Recovery
7. Run in place (or do some form of active or isometric movement near your desk) for 1 minute.
8. Find your heart rate and record immediately! After 1 minute of exercise, allow 1 minute of
recovery (rest).
9. After 1 minute of recovery find your heart rate and record.
10. After step 9, fill in trial 1 for exercise and recovery on page 2. Now, repeat steps 7-9 twice.
Data Analysis
11. Once all data is collected, calculate the averages for each exercise. (Add heart rates from all
3 trials then divide by 3.)
12. Each student will report his or her data to the teacher, and in the end will compile a table filled
with the class data. Average this data for females, males and the whole class.
Note: Area for mistakes! When the male and female averages have been calculated, those
averages cannot be averaged again to find the class average. An average of an average is
NOT accurate. ALL students will need to be added together then divided by the number of
students.
13. Fill in calculated averages in the remaining open boxes on “Your Data” table on page 2.
Ka Hana ‘Imi Na‘auao – A Science Careers Curriculum Resource
Go to: www.cds.hawaii.edu/kahana
1
Name:
Data & Results:
Class:
Your Data
Trial
Pulse rate per minute of various activity
Normal
Holding Breath
Exercise
Recovery
1
2
3
Average
Female Average
Male Average
Class Average
Class Data:
Name
Females
Norm
HB
Ex
Rec
Name
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.
5.
5.
6.
6.
7.
7.
8.
8.
9.
9.
10.
10.
11.
11.
12.
12.
13.
13.
14.
14.
15.
15.
Ka Hana ‘Imi Na‘auao – A Science Careers Curriculum Resource
Males
Norm
HB
Go to: www.cds.hawaii.edu/kahana
Ex
Rec
2
Name:
Class:
Analysis:
1. How is the normal resting heart rate affected by holding your breath? Explain why you got
these results.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
2. What is the influence of exercise on heart rate?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
3. Why did we need to do three trials instead of one?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
4. How did you calculate your heart rate in order to get a value that reflected beats per minute?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
5. Does there seem to be a difference between the sexes before exercising and while
exercising? Explain.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
6. If you were told that with each heart beat 60 mL of blood are pumped, how many milliliters of
blood are pumped per minute? per hour? per day? (show your work)
7. How many liters per day does the heart pump? How many gallons? (3.7 L/gal)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Ka Hana ‘Imi Na‘auao – A Science Careers Curriculum Resource
Go to: www.cds.hawaii.edu/kahana
3
Name:
Class:
Conclusion:
In terms of cellular respiration, discuss the need for an increased heart rate during exercise. (Hint:
what does the blood carry that is needed for respiration?) Use the space provided to write your
response.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
People with healthier hearts have lower heart rates when resting. Is your resting heart rate high or
low compared to your class average? Do you think your own heart is very healthy? What can you
do to increase and maintain a healthy heart? What are the rewards if you do and the
consequences if you don’t?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Ka Hana ‘Imi Na‘auao – A Science Careers Curriculum Resource
Go to: www.cds.hawaii.edu/kahana
4
Name:
Class:
Teacher’s Notes:
Ask students prior to teaching this lesson if there is any reason they should not participate (health
risk or shy about level of fitness). Non-participating students can do this activity at home &/or help
gather class data during the lesson.
Project this table to collect class data
Class Data:
Name
Females
Norm
HB
Males
Ex
Rec
Name
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.
5.
5.
6.
6.
7.
7.
8.
8.
9.
9.
10.
10.
11.
11.
12.
12.
13.
13.
14.
14.
15.
15.
16.
16.
Ka Hana ‘Imi Na‘auao – A Science Careers Curriculum Resource
Norm
HB
Go to: www.cds.hawaii.edu/kahana
Ex
Rec
5