Human Anatomy is the study of the body and its parts, like bones, muscles, and organs. By learning about our anatomy, we can understand how our bodies work and stay healthy!

Take your pulse at mutiple sites. Relate the pulse to heartbeat. 

Have you ever wondered how your pulse relates to your heartbeat? In this project, you'll learn how to take your pulse and explore how it changes when your body is in different positions.

TAKING A PULSE

Area of Science:

Biological Sciences


Grade 4-6 (age 8-10).


Overview:
Take your pulse at mutliple sites. Relate the pulse to heartbeat.

Equipment:
Clock or watch
a diagram of the body
a stethoscope may be helpful.

Safety:
When taking the carotid pulse in the neck, be certain to take one side at a
time!

How to do the experiment:
Try taking your pulse at the following sites:

 * Radial Pulse: This is probably what we're most familiar with when visiting
   the doctor's office. Take two fingers, preferably the 2nd and 3rd finger, and
   place them in the groove in the wrist that lies beneath the thumb. Move your
   fingers back and forth gently until you can feel a slight pusation - this is
   the pulse of the radial artery which delivers blood to the hand. Don't press
   too hard, or else you'll just feel the blood flowing through your fingers!
   You can even use your thumb.
 * Carotid Pulse: The carotid arteries supply blood to the head and neck. You
   can feel the pulse of the common carotid artery by taking the same two finger
   and running them alongside the outer edge of your trachea (windpipe). This
   pulse may be easier to find that of the radial artery. Since the carotid
   arteries supply a lot of the blood to the brain, it's important not to press
   on both of them at the same time!
 * femoral pulse: The femoral atery carries blood to parts of the leg. Aside
   from the carotid artery, it is another common site to check for a pulse in an
   emergency situation. Think of an imaginary line running from your hip to the
   groin. The approximate superficial location of the femoral artery lies 2/3 of
   the way in from the hip. Admin note: the other following sites can also be
   tried:
   
    
   
   1. facial artery: Gently run a finger along the lower edge of the jaw bone.
      Just beyond the 'chin' on either side, you might be able to feel the pulse
      of the facial artery.
   2. brachial artery: Flex your bicpes muscle. Press your thumb or a few
      fingers into the groove created between the biceps and other muscles,
      approximately 5cm from the armpit. You should be able to feel the pulse of
      the brachial artery. This is the major artery supplying blood to the arms.
   3. Abdominal aorta: Very thin individuals may be able to note a slight
      pulsation beneath the stomach when lying down in a relaxed position. This
      pulsation is caused by the abdominal aorta, the continuation of the aorta
      from the heart. At the level of the umbilicus (belly button), the aorta
      splits into the left and right common iliac ateries which deliver blood to
      the legs.
   4. Popliteal atery: This artery lies behind the knee. Bend your knee slightly
      and feel in the soft area behind the knee.
   
   Explanation:
   The pulse represents the beating of the heart, specifically the ejection of
   blood from the left ventricle to the general circulation of the body. The
   ventricles (right and left) have two phases: diastole or the time when the
   ventricles 'rest' so they can fill with blood, and systole, the time when the
   ventricles contract to send blood either to the lungs (from the right side of
   the heart), or to the rest of the body (from the left side of the heart).
   Blood from the left side of the heart first enters the aorta, the largest
   artery in the body. The aorta branches into smaller arteries which carry
   blood to all part of the body.
   
   The pulse represents the variation in blood pressure from diastole to
   systole. During diastole blood pressure falls, but increases after systole as
   the heart pumps more blood into the arteries. You feel this difference when
   taking your pulse. Doctors use a device called a sphygmomanometer (blood
   pressure cuff) to measure the systolic and diastolic blood pressures. The
   average adult has a systolic blood pressure ~120-150 mm mercury, an average
   diastolic blood pressure ~80 mm mercury, and an average pulse of 72
   beats/minute.
   
   If you have a stethoscope try listening to your heart while taking your
   pulse. Your heart produces two sounds, often called 'lub' and 'dub.' The
   second,'dub' sound coincides with the ejection of blood from the ventricles
   In actuality, the sound is produced by the aortic and pulmonic valves closing
   behind the ejected blood. The aortic valve opens from the left ventricle into
   the aorta; the pulmonic valve from the right ventricle into the pulmonary
   artery.
  

Exploring Your Pulse

How does the pulse relate to the heartbeat and how does it differ when the body is in different positions?

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