Introduction

The adaptability of the heart can be observed during exercise, when the metabolic activity of skeletal muscle tissue increases. The cardiovascular system, consisting of the heart and blood vessels, responds to exercise with an increase in heart rate and strength of contraction with each beat, resulting in a higher cardiac output (quantity of blood pumped through the heart per unit of time). Physically fit people can deliver a greater volume of blood in a single heartbeat than unfit individuals and can sustain a greater work level before reaching a maximum heart rate. Being more physically fit also leads to a more rapid recovery of resting heart rate.

In this experiment, you will observe how the heart responds to the increased metabolic demand of muscles during exercise.

Objectives