Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hi,
I am required to design and carry out an experiment for IB biology. I am quite interested in how heart rate is affected by different variables, but I need to create an experiment that is more complex than the typical heart rate experiment. i.e: resting pulse, pulse after exercise etc. How would I add interest to this investigation?

Hi Miriam,

This is definitely an interesting experiment to try out. In addition to using conditions such as exercise, you could also measure pulse when exposed to different stimuli. For example, you could have people watch a scary movie and measure their heart rate during specific times throughout the film. Or you could try other scenarios such as before and after eating, waking in the morning versus going to sleep, etc.

Let us know if you have further questions and we'll be happy to help.