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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