Vital Signs

Student Lab Packet

  

Name: ________________________ Date: _________

Vital Signs
How does exercise affect your heart and lungs?

Purpose: In this experiment I will be measuring ____________________________

by _______________________________________________________________.

Procedure:
1. Gather all lab materials with your lab group. You can have up to 3 people
in your lab group. Your group will need some way to keep track of time.

2. Find your resting heart rate: Each person will be recording his or her
resting heart rate first. To do this, press two forefingers to the side of your
neck until you can feel your pulse.

3. Count the number of heartbeats that occur in 6 seconds. Multiply this

number by 10 to find the number of heartbeats per minute.

4. Record your resting heart rate in the corresponding data table.

5. Find your resting breathing rate: Each person will now be recording
his or her resting breathing rate. To do this, count the number of breaths
you take in 6 seconds. Multiply this number by 10 to find the number of
heartbeats per minute. Record your breathing rate in the data table.

6. Each team member should do jumping jacks for 30 seconds. Immediately

after the 30 seconds have passed, measure your heart rate. Then, measure
your breathing rate. Record both values in the table.

7. Repeat Step #6 after 60 seconds of exercise.

8. Repeat Step #6 after 90 seconds of exercise.

Create Your Hypothesis:
If I exercise for a longer amount of time, my heart rate will ___________________
and my breathing rate will ___________________ because ____________________
_______________________________________________________________________.

Data Collection:
Person #1 Name: _________________________________
Person #2 Name: _________________________________
Person #3 Name: _________________________________

Before exercising, record each person’s resting heart and breathing rates. This is
the number of beats/breaths when at rest (NOT exercising).

Resting Rate

Heart rate Breathing rate

Person #1

Person #2

Person #3

Average

Hint: You can calculate the average heart and breathing rate by adding up the
number of beats/breaths for Person #1, #2, and #3 and then dividing by 3.

Record each person’s heart and breathing rate after 30 seconds of jumping
jacks.

After 30 seconds

Heart rate Breathing rate

Person #1
  

Person #2

Person #3

Average

After resting, record each person’s heart and breathing rate after 60 seconds of
jumping jacks.

After 60 seconds

Heart rate Breathing rate

Person #1

Person #2

Person #3

Average

After resting, record each person’s heart and breathing rate after 90 seconds of
jumping jacks.

After 90 seconds

Heart rate Breathing rate

Person #1

Person #2

Person #3

Average
  

Data Analysis:

1) My resting heart rate was _________ beats per minute. My resting breathing
rate was ________ breaths per minute. After 90 seconds of exercise, my heart
rate was ________ beats per minute and ________ breaths per minute.

2) How did your resting heart rate compare to your heart rate after 90 seconds
of exercise? Is this what you expected? Why or why not?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

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3) Did you observe similar results across all three people? Is this what you
expected? Why?
________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

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4) Create a line graph of each person’s heart rate over time below. Graph the
results for all 3 people in your lab group by using different colors for the
three line graphs. Don’t forget to include a key!

0s 30s 60s 90s

Time (seconds)

Line Graph Key:

Record the color you used for each person below.

☐ Person #1
☐ Person #2
☐ Person #3
Conclusion:

Based on your data, what impact did exercise have on your heart and lungs? How
could you tell?
________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

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