How to measure pulse rate.
How to control the type and duration of exercise to be undertaken by a test subject.
Record resting pulse rate before exercise and take repeated measurements of pulse rate after exercise.
The recovery time is the time it takes for the pulse rate to return to the resting rate after exercise.

Common misconception

Pupils may think that people are either healthy or unhealthy.

Health is a range from good to ill. Fitness is one indicator of general health.

Keywords

Pulse rate - The number of heart beats (pulses) per minute.
Resting pulse rate - The number of times your heart beats when at rest.
Recovery time - The time it takes for the heart rate to return to the resting rate after exercise.

Equipment

Stop watch, graph paper

Content guidance

Risk assessment required - equipment
Risk assessment required - physical activity

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.

Match the variable to its description.

Correct Answer:independent,The variable that you change.

The variable that you change.

Correct Answer:control,The variable that you keep the same.

The variable that you keep the same.

Correct Answer:dependent,The variable that you measure.

The variable that you measure.

Q2.

Which changes would you experience during exercise?

Correct answer: increased heart rate

lower amount of oxygen needed

Correct answer: increased breathing rate

reduced heart rate

Q3.

What type of blood vessel transports blood away from the heart?

veins

aorta

capillaries

Correct answer: arteries

vena cava

Q4.

What makes up the circulatory system?

Correct answer: heart

Correct answer: blood

nose

Correct answer: blood vessels

lungs

Q5.

What cellular process provides the body with energy?

Correct Answer: respiration, cellular respiration, aerobic respiration, anaerobic respiration

Q6.

Where does cellular respiration take place?

cell membrane

Correct answer: mitochondria

ribosomes

nucleus

chloroplasts

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.

What is recovery time?

The time it takes to feel better after exercising.

Correct answer: The time it takes for heart rate to return to the resting rate after exercise.

The time it takes for the heart rate to be 60 beats per minute after exercise.

The time it takes for the breathing rate to return to normal after exercising.

Q2.

How do you measure pulse (heart) rate?

Correct answer: Place your first two fingers of one hand on the the wrist of the other hand.

Place your thumb of one hand on the the wrist of the other hand.

Place your first finger of one hand on the thumb of the other hand.

Place your thumb of one hand on the base of the thumb of the other hand.

Q3.

What is pulse (heart) rate?

The number of times your heart beats (pulses) when you have finished exercising.

The number of times your heart beats (pulses) when exercising.

The number of times your heart beats (pulses) when at rest.

Correct answer: The number of heart beats (pulses) per minute.

Q4.

True or false? Repeat pulse (heart) rate measurements should be taken after exercise until the heart goes back to its resting rate, to calculate a person's recovery time.

Correct answer: true

false

Q5.

Calculate the mean of the following pulse (heart) rate readings. Give your answer to 2 s.f. 87, 90, 88

Correct Answer: 88

Q6.

What are the control variables when investigating recovery time after exercise?

time taken to recover

Correct answer: duration of exercise

Correct answer: type of exercise

pulse rate