Do males and females the same age have different resting pulse rates? Heart rate varies from person to person. Gender may play a role.
You take the brachial pulse (the pulse at the inner arm) of 25 males and 25 females. Each person sits and rests for three minutes. Then you count their pulse three times at one-minute intervals. Average the three counts and multiply by four to get beats per minute.
The females averaged 85 beats per minute. The males averaged 79. That six-beat gap suggests gender may affect resting heart rate.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is that seventh grade females’ pulse rates will be higher than the males’ pulse rates.
The number of beats per minute varies from person to person. Gender may play a role in resting heart rate. Females in one test averaged 85 beats per minute while males averaged 79.
The pulse beat you feel in your wrist or neck can vary from person to person. Measuring the brachial pulse (the beat at the inner arm) of 25 males and 25 females reveals a six-beat difference in resting rate. Females averaged 85 beats per minute while males averaged 79, suggesting that gender may affect how often the heart pumps blood at rest.
Resting heart rate differs from person to person, and gender may be one reason why. To find out, you take the brachial pulse — the pulse at the inner arm — of 25 males and 25 females. Each person sits quietly for three minutes, then you count their pulse three times at one-minute intervals and average the results. The females in one study averaged 85 beats per minute; the males averaged 79. That six-beat gap suggests gender affects how fast the heart moves blood at rest.
Method & Materials
You will have 25 seventh grade male students and 25 seventh grade female students sit in chairs for three minutes. Then, you will take their pulse for 15 seconds three times over a five minute period. Finally, you will calculate the mean of the three trials and multiply it by four.
You will need 25 seventh grade male students, 25 seventh grade female students, two chairs, and a stopwatch or watch.
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The results of the experiment showed that the b.p.m. of the females was in fact higher than the male b.p.m. by six beats. The overall female average was 85 b.p.m. and the overall for males was 79 b.p.m. This indicates that on average 7th grade females b.p.m. are 6 beats higher than the male b.p.m.
Why do this project?
This science project is interesting because it can help doctors understand healthy pulse rate levels in young adults. It can also help them identify any potential problems that a teenager might have.
Also Consider
Variations to consider include testing different age groups or testing athletes to see if their pulse rates are different.
Full project details
Additional information and source material for this project are available below.
