Title: Vital Signs
Purpose: To determine
vital sign
parameters and determine if vital signs between heart
and lungs correlate, and if there is an effect of exercise on the
body’s
system.
Hypothesis: People of
similar age
groups and health should have vital signs relatively
close to each other. Vital signs change consistently based on
internal
and external
factors. Exercise will raise all vital sign numbers because the
body’s
cells have a
greater
demand for oxygen when they are working harder. The heart and
lungs will
both increase their rates.
Materials: Sphygmomanometer,
stopwatch/clock, bubbles, straws, rulers,
paper towels
Procedure: There are 4 stations involved in this
lab.
Move with your group, and follow the directions at each station precisely
to
guarantee accurate results. Record the measurements of each of
your vital
signs CONFIDENTIALLY on your data sheet. At each station, read
and answer
ALL questions on this sheet. Once you have finished recording
your vital
signs, answer the “Lifestyle” questions on your data sheet.
Data: see attachment
Conclusion:
In class four stations were set up to gather vital signs on all
classmates. The vital signs included pulse, respiration rate,
blood
pressure, and lung capacity. Lung capacity measures the volume of
the air
that can fill up your lungs. Blood pressure measures the work of
you
heart while pumping and at rest. Your heart works harder when
there is
more resistance in the arteries. The pulse measures how many
times your
heart beats a minute to circulate oxygen to the tissues. The
respiration rate
measures that amount of breaths you need to take to keep the oxygen
level your
body needs and to remove the carbon dioxide. Vital signs were
also taken
at rest and after exercise. Comparisons of the findings were
analyzed and
variations between classmates exist.
The majority of data falls within the normal range. While each
student’s
vital signs were unique the majority fell with the pulse of 74.4 beats
per
minute (resting), 98 after exercise (pulse), blood pressure 107.9
(systolic),
86.4 (diastolic), respiration rate of 29.3, and a lung capacity of
two.
The hypothesis that vital signs change with internal and external
factors was
correct. The numbers were constantly lower on a person whose diet
is
rated eight or greater, compared to a person whose rated diet is five
or
less. The data shows students with a higher rated diet have a
lower pulse
rate. The average pulse rate was 71 for a healthier diet.
Students
with a lower rated diet had a higher pulse rate of 79. This means
that
the heart is working harder for this group. In addition, the
hypothesis
was again true with higher numbers occurring after exercise.
Exercise
causes the body to need more oxygen and the body breaths quicker and
has a
faster pulse rate to deliver this oxygen. The data shows that having an
unhealthy diet gives a person high blood pressure. The students
who
reported a better diet (eight or greater) had an average blood pressure
of
108/68. The students with a poor diet (five or lower) had an
average blood
pressure of 118/80. This is because plaque builds up in their
arteries
and cause resistance of blood flow. Finally, the people who get
the least
amount of sleep have the highest pulse. The data shows that
students who
get a good amount of sleep (nine hours or greater) have a lower
pulse.
The average pulse for these students was 77 heart beats per
minute. The
students who get less amount of sleep (7.5 hours or less) have a higher
pulse. The pulse average for this group is 82 beats per
minute.
This is because the body’s tissues need rest to function their best so
when the
person is awake the heart needs to beat faster to meet the needs of the
tissue.
This experiment helped demonstrate the normal ranges of vital signs,
and the
effect of exercise of the vital signs. It also shows that vital
signs
vary per individual, but are mostly within the normal ranges. A
pattern
noticed is exercise constantly raises vital sign numbers helping the
body get
oxygen. The pulse at rest average was 74.4 while after exercise
was
98.0. The data shows that people who have a high heart beats tend
to have
a higher respiratory rate. This shows that the body regulates its
heart
beats and respiratory rate to meet the body’s needs. For example,
student
35 has a pulse rate of 101 and a respiratory rate of 24 which are both
higher
than normal for this age group. Again, student 2 has a pulse rate
of 86
and a respiratory rate of 25 which are both a little high for this age
group.
Application:
The information about vital signs is useful in everyday life.
Knowing the
normal parameters can allow you to give yourself or others a quick
check on
their/your health. If numbers are raised when a person is at
rest, for
example an increased pulse, a person should see a doctor. These
higher
numbers indicate the body is working harder than needed. High
blood
pressure, called hypertension, is caused by arteries filling with
plaque
causing resistance. This is a serious medical problem.
Vital signs
are clearly vital in checking your health.