Heart Rate Experiment Lab Report

Heart Rate Experiment

Research question: What is the effect on the heart rate (measured in bmp with the VitalScanPlus) if a person walks up stairs (one step per second measured with a stop watch) to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floor (repeated 3 times for each floor with a 2 minutes break between the trials)?

Variables:

»        Independent – distance (1st, 2nd and 3rd floor)

»        Dependent    – heart rate in bpm measured with the VitalScanPlus

»        Controlled     – speed of walking (1 step per second measured with a stop watch)

–        it has to be the same person

–        the same day

–        same room

–        2 minutes breaks between the trial (so the heart rate can normalize)

–        3 trials for each floor

Control of Variables:

»        Adjusting the independent variable: the person has to walk up the first floor 3 times, the second floor 3 times and the third floor 3 times.

»        Measure the dependent variable: directly when the person reaches one f the 3 floors he/she has to turn on the VitalScanPlus to measure the heart rate in beats per minute.

»        Control the controlled variables:

–        The person has to make 1 step per second, which is measured with a stop watch. Another person walks next to him/her and tells her when to make the step.

–        The whole experiment must be done on one day.

–        The person always has to walk up the same stairs. He must not change the location.

–        Between the trials there must be a 2 minutes break, so that the person’s heart rate has the possibility to normalize again.

–        There must be 3 trials for each floor.

Materials: VitalScanPlus, stop watch

Method: The normal heart rate (the person did not do anything) is measured with the VitalScanPlus three times. In between there are 2 minutes breaks. Then the person walks up the first...