The Heart Activity 4 printable pdf download

The Heart Activity 4

The Heart—Activity

Name ________________________________________________ Date _________________ Class Period ___________

Heart Rate Measuring Techniques—

Taking Your Pulse Manually

Your heartbeat is the sound of the valves in your heart closing as they

push blood from one chamber to another. Heart rate is the number of times

the heart beats per minute (BPM), and the pulse is the beat of the heart

that can be felt in any artery that lies close to the skin.

The heart beats at different rates depending on whether your body is at

rest or at work. When resting, the heart rate beats an average of 72 times

per minute for high school students and an average of 85 BPM for middle

school students. During strenuous physical activity, your heart rate or pulse

increases, sometimes to twice or more its resting rate. Your stroke volume,

the amount of blood pumped for each heartbeat, also increases. This is

because the muscles that are working demand more blood to supply them

with oxygen and other nutrients.

Heart rate is measured by counting the number of times your heart

beats in one minute. One way to determine your heart rate is to manually

take your pulse.

The two most common locations used to take a pulse are at the radial

artery in the wrist and the carotid artery in the neck. It is best to practice

locating and counting your pulse when you are at rest and again during

physical activity.

Measuring the radial pulse.

Place the

tips of the index and second fingers of

one hand on the inside wrist of the other

hand. Position the fingers just below the

base of the thumb to take the radial pulse

at the wrist.

One way to manually take

your pulse is to measure

your radial pulse.

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The Heart Activity 4