Download Pulse Rate

Heart Rate
and Physical Fitness
The circulatory system is responsible for the internal transport of many vital substances in
humans, including oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nutrients. The components of the
circulatory system include the heart, blood vessels, and blood. Heartbeats result from
electrical stimulation of the heart cells by the pacemaker, located in the heart’s inner wall
of the right atrium. Although the electrical activity of the pacemaker originates from
within the heart, the rhythmic sequence of impulses produced by the pacemaker is
influenced by nerves outside of the heart. Many things might affect the rate of the heart’s
beating, including the physical fitness of the individual, the presence of drugs such as
caffeine or nicotine in the blood, and the age of the person.
The increase in heartbeat rate during exercise can be measured by monitoring the
individual’s pulse rate. As a rule, the maximum pulse rate of all individuals of the same
age and sex is about the same, yet the time it takes individuals to reach that maximum
level while exercising varies greatly. Since physically fit people can deliver a greater
volume of blood in a single cardiac cycle than unfit individuals, they usually can sustain a
greater work level before reaching the maximum pulse rate. Physically fit people not only
have less of an increase in their pulse rate during exercise, but their pulse rate recovers to
the resting rate more rapidly than unfit people.
In this experiment, you will evaluate your physical fitness. An arbitrary rating system will
be used to “score” fitness during a variety of situations. Tests will be made while in a
resting position, in a prone position, as well as during and after physical exercise.
Important: Do not attempt this exercise if physical exertion will aggravate a health
problem. Inform your instructor of any possible health problems that might be
affected if you participate in this exercise.
OBJECTIVES
In this experiment, you will
•
•
•
•
•
use a computer and heart rate monitor to measure the human pulse rate.
determine the effect of body position on pulse rates.
determine the effect of exercise on pulse rates.
determine your fitness level.
correlate the fitness level of individuals with factors such as smoking, the amount of
daily exercise, and other factors identified by students.
ASSIGNED ROLES
Since there are limited numbers of heart rate monitors, you will need to have 4 to 5
people
per lab group. You can rotate roles so that several of you are able to measure your
cardiac
fitness. This is a suggested division of labor. The reader will read and direct the
sequence
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of activities. A time keeper will monitor the beats per minute and decide when it is time
to
move on to the next test, as well as keep track of the time elapsed during recovery
periods.
The programmer will set up the calculator to monitor the heart rate. The recorder will
enter
the data into table 6. The subject will be tested for physical fitness.
MATERIALS
CBL
TI-82 calculator
Vernier Heart Rate Monitor
Heart Rate Monitor program
stepping stool, 18 inches high
PROCEDURE
1. Each team member will be responsible for their own data even though you will take
turns being tested.
2. Set-up of the CBL
A. Select Program, select Chembio, press enter, press enter,
B . Select SET UP PROBES, enter
C. Enter number of probes: 1 enter
D. Select MORE PROBES
E. Select HEART RATE
F. Select CHANNEL 1 and enter
3. Adjusting the placement of the heart rate monitor
A. Once you select Collect data on the calculator, it takes several readings for the
instrument to adjust .
B. Before actually recording your data, you must find the best place to collect good
pulse rate readings. Try your ear lobe and index finger. Each person is slightly
different. Adjust the instrument so that sensible readings are being recorded.
C. You will determine that the sensor is functioning correctly by waiting for readings
that are consistent and within the normal range of the individual—usually between 45
and 90 beats per minute.
Standing pulse rate
4. The subject will stand QUIETLY for 2 minutes. Do not move or talk because this
causes incorrect readings of you pulse. Record the stable pulse rate in Table 6.
5. Assign fitness points based on Table 1 and record the value in Table 6.
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Table 1 Standing Pulse Rate
Beats/min
Points
Beats/min
Points
60–70
12
101–110
8
71–80
11
111–120
7
81–90
10
121–130
6
91–100
9
131–140
4
Reclining pulse rate
6. Recline on a clean lab table for 2 minutes and record your pulse rate in Table 6.
7. Assign fitness points based on Table 2 and record the value in Table 6.
Table 2 Reclining Pulse Rate
Beats/min
Points
Beats/min
Points
50–60
12
81–90
8
61–70
11
91–100
6
71–80
10
101–110
4
Pulse rate change from reclining to standing
8. Stand up next to the lab table.
9. Watch the screen through 3 sets of beats/min readings. Record the highest pulse rate
in Table 6.
10. To calculate the points assigned for the pulse rate increase after standing, use table 3.
To obtain this increase, the reclining pulse rate(STEP 6) is subtracted from standing
pulse rate(Step 9). Locate the row corresponding to your reclining pulse rate in Table
3 and use the pulse rate increase value to obtain fitness points. In Table 6, record the
pulse-rate increase after standing and your fitness values.
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Table 3 Reclining to Standing
Reclining pulse
Pulse rate increase after standing
(beats/min)
0–10
11–17 18–24
25–33
34+
50–60
12
11
10
8
6
61–70
12
10
8
6
4
71–80
11
9
6
4
2
81–90
10
8
4
2
0
91–100
8
6
2
0
0
101–110
6
4
0
0
0
Step test
11. After a two-minute rest, record your pulse rate in Table 6 (Before step test). No points
are assigned for this value.
12. Hold the heart rate monitor box so that the clip and the cord will not become
dislodged during exercise.
13. Perform the step test:
•
•
•
•
•
Place one foot on the top step of the stool.
Place the other foot completely on the top step of the stool next to the first foot.
Place the first foot on the floor.
Place the other foot completely on the floor.
This stepping cycle should take 3 seconds to complete.
14. Repeat this exercise five times, taking 3 seconds to complete each cycle.
15. Record the pulse rate after taking five steps in Table 6(Endurance). You may need to
wait through 3 cycles of readings since there is often a lag time for the pulse rate
increase to register on the calculator. If the signal is not steady during the exercise, have
the subject rest just long enough to take a measurement.
Step test for endurance
16. Subtract the normal standing pulse rate (from Step 5) from the pulse rate after 15
seconds of exercise. Record this pulse rate increase in Table 6.
17. Assign fitness points based on Table 4 and record the value in Table 6. Recovery rate
18. Continue the exercise for a total of 120 seconds (40 stepping cycles). This pulse rate
is recorded in Table 6 but is assigned no points. It is the initial 15 seconds that raised
the pulse. The continued 120 second cycle of exercise is used to determine the
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recovery time. It is important that the timer keeps track of the time from the end of
exercise until the pulse rate has returned to normal.
Table 4 Endurance
Standing pulse
Pulse rate increase after exercise
(beats/min)
0–10
11–20
21–30
31–40
41+
60–70
12
12
10
8
6
71–80
12
10
8
6
4
81–90
12
10
7
4
2
91–100
10
8
6
2
0
101–110
8
6
4
1
0
111–120
8
4
2
1
0
121–130
6
2
1
0
0
131+
5
1
0
0
0
19. Stand until the pulse rate returns to the approximate level you recorded before the step
test, or until the readings stabilize. Record the time in Table 6.
20. Assign fitness points based on Table 5. If the pulse rate did not return to within 10
beats/min from the standing position value after it stabilizes, subtract two points from
the value in Table 5. Record the point value in Table 6.
Table 5 Recovery Rate
Time (sec)
Points
0–30
14
31–60
12
61–90
10
91-120
8
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DATA
TABLE 6
Step
Condition
Rate (beats/min) or time
4
Standing pulse rate
6
Reclining pulse rate
9
Reclining to standing
10
Pulse rate after
standing
11
Before step test
15
Endurance(after 15 s)
16
Pulse rate increase
17
Pulse rate a after 120s
18
Recovery time
Points
XXXXX
XXXXX
seconds
Total points:
Fitness Scale
Low fitness
fit
20
Fit
30
40
Very
50
60
QUESTIONS
1. How did your pulse rate change after moving from a standing position to a reclining
position? Is this what you expected? How do you account for this?
2. How did your pulse rate change after moving from a reclining position back to a
standing position? Is this what you expected? How do you account for this?
3. Predict what your heart rate might be if you had exercised for twice the length of time
that you actually did. Explain.
4. How does your maximum pulse rate compare to other students in your group. Is this
what you expected? How do you account for this?
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5. Athletes need to work longer and harder before their pulse rates were at the maximum
value. Look at the lab introduction, pages 898-904 in the elephant book, or pages
981-992 in the whale book and explain how you think an athletes heart works
differently.
6. How do you evaluate your physical fitness? Do you agree with the rating obtained
from this experiment? Explain.
7. Current research indicates that most heart attacks occur as people get out of bed after
sleep. Account for this observation.
EXTENSION
1. Design an anonymous survey to be taken by each member of your class. In the survey,
ask questions that you think might influence the test results. Examples might include:
•
•
•
•
Did you have more than 6 hours of sleep last night?
Do you smoke? If so, how many packs per week do you smoke?
Gender? Age?
What was your total number of fitness points?
2.
Try to determine whether any of the variables from your survey show a statistical
link to fitness. You may want to use statistical T-Tests to determine whether a
relationship between the variable and physical fitness is due to chance.
This experiment is adapted from Experiment 27, Heart Rate and Physical Fitness, from Biology with CBL,
by Scott Holman and David Masterman, Vernier Software Co., 1997, p 27-1 to 27-6.
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