How Heart Rate Maintains Homeostasis

By, Wesley Fink, Maddie Cinelli, Jackson Roberts

Abstract
This experiment was focused on discovering
how heart rate helps maintain homeostasis
in the body. What was tested is what would
happen to heart rate while running and what
would happen afterwards. The results of the
experiment were that heart rate went up
during were running because the muscles
needed more oxygen, and it slowed down
again once the body was no longer in motion.
This shows how the body works when faced
with physical stress.
Introduction
respiration, which requires oxygen
(Cespedes, January 30, 2018). Because
the muscles need more oxygen, the
adrenal glands release more
Epinephrine to stimulate the heart and
cause it to beat faster. This means more
blood is pumped and more oxygen can
be delivered to muscles and cells.
When the heart rate is too fast your
adrenal glands release norepinephrine
to slow it down. If you exert the body
physically, then the heart rate will go
up and go back down after once the
exercise is completed. It was decided to
have running be the benchmark for the
tests, as that is a basic physical activity
that could be effectively measured.
Methods
3. Take subject’s pulse directly
after running to find subject;s
BPM.
4. Test 3 minutes after running
and see if it’s similar to the BPM
from step 1.
5. Repeat steps two, three, and
four two more times to have
three trials to go off.
6. Repeat the process with
another person to compare
results with.
Materials: The only item we
needed was a stopwatch.
Results
Conclusion
The fact that the heart rate
increases shows that the body is
trying to keep homeostasis while
the conditions of the body
change. Since the body is having
to exert more efforts in its
functions, the heart has to
increase to account for this and
the increased need for oxygen.
The heart rate then decreases
back to a normal level as the
body is no longer doing a
strenuous task and does not need
as much oxygen. This can be seen
in our data, where on average,
Subject 2 and Subject 1 had a
starting heart rate of 96
BPM and 92 BPM respectively. After the running, the
heart rate went up on average to 164 BPM for Subject
1 and 190 BPM for Subject 2. These then went down
to the previously stated averages. As stated in the
introduction, it is believed if the body is exerted
physically, then heart rate will go up and will then go
back down afterwards. The experiments proved that
the hypothesis is indeed correct. A potential error in
our experiment is that there many not have been a
long enough wait between trials, which could have
resulted in the heart rate not going down to its proper
level. Human error in counting could also be an issue.
What was discovered is that during exercise heart
rate goes up to maintain homeostasis. Afterwards
heart rate is lowered back down because that level of
oxygen is no longer needed. Some other tests that
could be done are how other things would affect heart
rate, such as emotional stress or injury. Overall the
experiment went smoothly, and there were no
obvious things that went wrong.

The research was focused on how the

heart helps the body maintain
1. Sit down to find subject's resting
homeostasis. Homeostasis is the state Subject 1 Before Run After Run
heart rate. Count how many beats Subject 2 Before Run After Run
the body needs to be in order to stay in a subject’s heart does in ten seconds
stable condition. The heart is an organ while subject’s heart rate is resting. Trial 1 84 156 Trial 1 84 186
that is part of the circulatory system. It Multiple this number by six to get
pumps blood and oxygen around the subject's BPM or Beats per Minute.
Trial 2 90 168 Trial 2 108 192
body. The medulla part of the brain uses This will be subject's pulse. Make sure
to take three different pulses a couple
the nervous system to decide on if heart Trial 3 102 168
minutes after each other . Trial 3 96 192
rate needs to be increased or decreased 2. The subject will run one straight
(Cespedes, January 30, 2018). During away on a standard track (A distance Average 92 164
of about 100 meters).
Average 96 190
exercise the muscles convert glucose
into energy using aerobic cellular