Heart Rate and Blood Pressure as Vital Signs
Recommended for grades 9–12.
Introduction
Since the earliest days of medicine heart rate has been recognized as a vital sign—an indicator of health, disease, excitement, and stress. Medical personnel use the heart rate to provide clues as to the presence of many medical conditions. Reflex changes in heart rate are one of the body’s most basic mechanisms for maintaining proper perfusion to the brain and other tissues. Low blood volume caused by bleeding or dehydration results in the heart beating faster as it attempts to maintain adequate blood pressure. Excitement, stress, and anxiety activate the nervous system, which may also speed the heart rate and raise blood pressure.
Objectives
In this experiment, you will
- Obtain graphical representation of heart rate and blood pressure.
- Compare heart rate and blood pressure before and after exposure to cold stimulus.
- Observe an example of sympathetic nervous system activation ("fight or flight response").
Sensors and Equipment
This experiment requires each of the following Vernier sensors and equipment (unless otherwise noted):
Additional Requirements
You may also need an interface and software for data collection. What do I need for data collection?
Download Experiment Preview
The student-version preview includes:
- Step-by-step instructions for computer-based data collection
- List of materials and equipment
Note: The experiment preview of the computer edition does not include essential teacher information, safety tips, or sample data. Instructions for Logger Pro and other software (such as LabQuest App or TI handheld software, where available) are on the CD that accompanies the book. We strongly recommend that you purchase the book before performing experiments.
Standards Correlations
See all standards correlations for Human Physiology with Vernier »
Included in the Lab Book
Vernier lab books include a CD with word-processing files of the student instructions, essential teacher information, suggested answers, sample data and graphs, and more.