Pulse Rate
The purpose of this practical is to investigate how the pulse rate of humans changes when they exercise. Someone who is physically fit can supply their muscles with enough blood, carrying glucose and oxygen, for an activity at a lower heart and breathing rate. The fitter you are the lower your resting heart rate.
You and your classmates will be the humans investigated.
SAFETY: If you know you have any condition that affects you doing exercise, please make sure your teacher knows before you start the investigation.
In the investigation you are going to measure and record your pulse rate, before and after doing some physical activity. Work in pairs and decide who will be the ‘exerciser’ and who will be the ‘pulse-taker and recorder’.
The pulse-taker takes the resting pulse of the exerciser. The exerciser should be sitting down and holding their left hand out with their palm facing up and their elbow straight.
The pulse-taker puts the index and middle fingers of their right (or left) hand together, and presses the pads of their fingers lightly on the underside of the exerciser’s left wrist, just at the base of their thumb. With their fingers in this position, they should be able to feel a pulse.
Once the pulse has been found, the pulse-taker starts the stopwatch and counts the number of beats in 15 seconds. To find the heart rate in beats per minute, the pulse count for 15 seconds is multiplied by 4.
The exerciser exercises (jog on the spot, do jumping jacks, step up and down on the platform at the front of the room at a rate of 30 steps per minute) for 3 minutes.
The pulse-taker counts the number of beats in 15 seconds immediately after exercise has stopped, then 2 minutes after exercise stopped and then 4, 6 and 8 minutes after exercise stopped. These rates should be taken with the exerciser sitting down.
Recovery is to be assessed by calculating the ‘4 minutes after exercise’ value as a percentage of resting rates and comparing the percentage with
You and your classmates will be the humans investigated.
SAFETY: If you know you have any condition that affects you doing exercise, please make sure your teacher knows before you start the investigation.
In the investigation you are going to measure and record your pulse rate, before and after doing some physical activity. Work in pairs and decide who will be the ‘exerciser’ and who will be the ‘pulse-taker and recorder’.
The pulse-taker takes the resting pulse of the exerciser. The exerciser should be sitting down and holding their left hand out with their palm facing up and their elbow straight.
The pulse-taker puts the index and middle fingers of their right (or left) hand together, and presses the pads of their fingers lightly on the underside of the exerciser’s left wrist, just at the base of their thumb. With their fingers in this position, they should be able to feel a pulse.
Once the pulse has been found, the pulse-taker starts the stopwatch and counts the number of beats in 15 seconds. To find the heart rate in beats per minute, the pulse count for 15 seconds is multiplied by 4.
The exerciser exercises (jog on the spot, do jumping jacks, step up and down on the platform at the front of the room at a rate of 30 steps per minute) for 3 minutes.
The pulse-taker counts the number of beats in 15 seconds immediately after exercise has stopped, then 2 minutes after exercise stopped and then 4, 6 and 8 minutes after exercise stopped. These rates should be taken with the exerciser sitting down.
Recovery is to be assessed by calculating the ‘4 minutes after exercise’ value as a percentage of resting rates and comparing the percentage with