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Lub-dup, lub-dup, lub-dup … can you hear that? It’s the sound of your heart beating.
In this week’s Saturday Science from Science Sparks, explore the rhythm of a family member’s or friend’s heartbeat by building a stethoscope and listening closely.
Materials
- Kitchen roll tube
- Gaffer tape
- Small funnel
Process
- Hold a kitchen roll tube to a family member’s or friend’s chest while you place an ear to the other end. Can you hear his or her heart beating?
- Next, tape a funnel into an end of the roll.
- Then, listen to your family member’s or friend’s chest again. Does his or her heart sound clearer?
- What do you think your heart will sound like after you do jumping jacks?
Summary
Did your heart beat faster after you did jumping jacks? It should have!
When we do jumping jacks or another type of exercise, our muscles require more oxygen and energy than usual. Our hearts deliver these things by pumping blood more quickly and thus increasing our heart rate. Like a doctor’s, your stethoscope amplified the sound of your family member’s or friend’s heart beating so that you could hear it more clearly.
Want more Saturday Science? See all of our at-home activities on the blog or on Pinterest.
