Research question:

What is the effect of increasing the duration/intensity of jump-skipping (15, 30, 45, 60, 75
seconds) on the heart rate (beats/minute) of a fifteen-year-old female?
Background Information:
This IA explores the relation between exercise and the circulatory system. The human body
has many different systems which have specific roles that allow us to live. One of these
systems is the circulatory system, which is essential to the human body as it pumps blood,
and delivers nutrients and oxygen to the body’s organs, cells and tissues (Khan Academy,
2019). It is consisted of the heart, lungs, arteries, veins, capillaries.

The heart transports blood using blood vessels in arteries, the main artery being the Aorta.
Exercise stimulates certain muscles in our body and increases their activity level and
therefore these muscles need more blood and oxygen to function (Haythe, 2016). As soon
as a human starts exercising, the muscles consume much more energy and need more
oxygen supplied from the heart (Live Strong, 2017). In turn, increased cardiac output is
essential to attend to the need of more blood and oxygen in muscles (Haythe, 2016).

Hypothesis:
If the duration of the exercise increases by 15-second increments, then the heart rate will
rise along with it. This is because as the muscles in our body are stimulated, more blood
must be supplied to them.

Materials and Methodology:

Materials:
 Test subject (15 year-old female)
 Standard skipping rope
 Stop watches, x2
 
Methodology:
1. Using the first stopwatch, the test-subject was asked to find his/her resting heart rate for 30
seconds.
2. The test-subject then proceeded to do jump skipping for the first variable (15 seconds) using
a second stopwatch to time the skipping.
3. Instantly after completing the exercise, the test-subject then stood still and his/her pulse
was measured (on the neck using fingers) for 30 seconds using the first stopwatch. Heart rate
was recorded.
4. The test-subject rested for approximately 1 minute until the heart rate returned to resting
rate.
5. The test-subject then jump skipped for the second variable of 30 seconds, which was timed
using the second stop watch.
6. Steps three and four were repeated.
7. The participant did jump skipping for 45 seconds (third variable), which was timed using the
second stop watch.
8. Steps three and four were repeated.
9. The participant did jump skipping for 60 seconds (fourth variable), which was timed using
the second stop watch.
10. Steps three and four were repeated.
11. The participant did jump skipping for 75 seconds (fifth variable), which was timed using the
second stop watch.
 12. Steps three and four were repeated
13. Steps two-twelve were repeated for a total of five times to complete five trials.

Risk Assessment:
Safety:
It is likely that if not done carefully, the skipping rope could hit another person while it is
being used. It is important to be aware of the surroundings and this experiment must be
conducted in an open space and on dry, flat ground to avoid a slipping hazard. We must also
make sure to not allow the skipping rope to get caught up in the test subject's feet. Lastly,
the test subject must be wearing appropriate sneakers and active wear for the exercise.
Ethical:
It is important to ask the test subject for consent before they conduct the experiment. It
must be made sure that the test subject is not doing the experiment against their will.  
Environmental:
There are no environmental risks for this experiment.
 
Variables:
Independent: Duration of the exercise (15, 20, 45, 60, 75 seconds – increasing in 15-second
increments).  
Dependent: Change in heart rate (beats/30 seconds). 
Controlled:
1. The form of exercise (jump-skipping)
2. The amount of time the test subject measures her pulse after each set of
skipping (30 seconds - this variable is controlled using a stop watch). Variance of
the amount of time the pulse is measured will result in imprecise data.

Qualitative Data/Explanation of Results:

As the duration/intensity of the exercise increased, signs of breathlessness and flushed
cheeks and sweating on the sides of the forehead was noticed. In addition, in the last two
trials the test subject was showing clear signs of fatigue.
Uncertainties:
A stop watch moves in increments of 1 second. Therefore, the assumed uncertainty is ±0.5
second for the independent variable and the dependent variable.

 
Results:

  Heart rate (Beats/30 secs)(±0.5)

Duration of Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5
exercise (seconds
±0.5)
15 65 62 69 71 68
30 71 74 76 76 75
45 78 78 80 85 92
60 90 93 96 94 96
75 108 107 109 107 111
TABLE 1: Table of raw data showing the heart rate of a 15-year-old girl after each set of exercise
(duration increasing in 15-second increments)
Heart Rate (Beats/minute) (±0.5)

Duration of exercise Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5

(seconds ±0.5)
15 130 124 138 142 136
30 142 148 152 152 150
45 156 156 160 170 184
60 180 186 192 188 192
75 216 214 218 214 222
TABLE 2: Table of processed data showing the average heart rate of a 15-year-old girl after each set

GRAPH 1: Graph representing the table of processed data (The relationship between the duration of
exercise and change in heart rate).

250

200 f(x) = 1.36 x + 109.16

Heart rate (beats/minute)

R² = 0.98

150

100

50

0
0 15 30 45 60 75 90

Duration of exercise (seconds)

 Duration of exercise Mean heart rate STDEV.P
15 134 6.3
30 148.8 3.7
45 165.2 10.7
60 187.6 4.5
75 216.8 3
TABLE 3: Mean Heart Rates and Standard Deviation

T-test (15-second duration heart rates and 75-second duration heart rates):

Analysis:
97.91% variation in the mean heart rate is due to the variation in the duration of exercise.
Because the R square value is close to 1, there was a strong positive correlation between the
duration of exercise and mean heart rate which followed a linear relationship. The standard
deviation error bars also indicate that there is extremely minimal spread of data around
apart, with the exception of the 45-second duration which was slightly less minimal,
suggesting there was a wider range for the data collected in these trials.
There are two hypothesises which can be made using the T-test: The Null hypothesis and
Alternative hypothesis. The null hypothesis states that there is no difference between the
heart rates for the 15-second duration and the heart rates for the 75-second duration. The
alternative hypothesis states that there is a difference between the heart rates for the 15-
second duration and the heart rates for the 75-second duration. After calculating the T-test,
if the value is < 0.05 then Group A is significantly greater than Group B and if the value is >
or = 0.05 then there is no There was no significant difference between Group A and Group
B. The mean heart rate for the 15-second duration was 134 beats/minute and 216.8
beats/minute for the 75-second duration. The standard deviation was 6.3 and 3 for the 15-
second duration and 75-second duration respectively. The T-test value was 6.46506E-07
(0.000000646506) which means that there was a significant difference between the 15-
second and 75-second durations, confirming the alternative hypothesis.
Discussion:
The data analysed above has shown that it matches with the expected results of this
experiment. The R square value portrays the strong positive correlation between the
increasing duration of exercise and heart rate, showing the linear relationship. Furthermore,
the T-test value shows that there is a significant difference between the heart rate after
exercising for 15 seconds and the heart rate after exercising for 75 seconds.
This data represents that as the exercise duration increases, the hearts pumps blood around
the body much faster. The background research done earlier also explains my data. As the
muscles in the body need more blood during exercise, the heart must deliver a higher
 amount of blood to muscles and at a faster rate. Exercise stimulates certain muscles in our
body and increases their activity level and therefore these muscles need more blood and
oxygen to function (Haythe, 2016). In turn, increased cardiac output is essential to attend to
the need of more blood and oxygen in muscles (Haythe, 2016). In addition, a piece of
qualitive data (flushed cheeks), a common symptom of increased blood flow throughout the
body has been noticed as the blood rushes to the test-subjects face as well. Several other
experiments similar to this one have also been performed, producing similar results.
‘Science Buddies’ conducted an experiment in 2014, which showed the changes in heart
rate for different types of exercise, demonstrating that a light exercise such as walking did
not increase the heart as much as an exercise such as walking (Science buddies, 2014).
Instead of testing different types of exercise, we have tested different durations. A higher
duration is more intense and therefore increased the heart rate more than a lower duration.
Conclusion:
This experiment was investigating the effect of increasing the duration/intensity of jump-
skipping (15, 30, 45, 60, 75 seconds) on the heart rate (beats/minute) of a fifteen-year-old
female. It was predicted that if the duration of the exercise increases by 15-second
increments, then the heart rate will rise along with it. Observing the data collected, it is
concluded that my processed data supports my hypothesis as the there is a positively
progressing linear relationship between the increasing duration of the exercise and heart
rate.

Weaknesses/ sources of error. Impact of the error on the experiment. Suggestions for
improvements to reduce or
get rid of the impact of the
error.

Independent variable This impacted our experiment because the test- As an improvement, the
The independent variable was not subject became tired too tired by the 60-second and duration of the exercise could
manipulated efficiently enough 75-second variables be increase by 10 seconds
instead of 15.

Dependent variable
The measurement technique was
not the most effective
This impacted our experiment because measuring the As an improvement, the heart
heart rate by using fingers and counting the pulse is rate could be measured using
not the most effective method as it is very easy to a pulse oximeter which is
lose track of counting and this effected the precision much more accurate.
of our results.

Control variables
The controlled variable was not
kept the same for all the trials
The test subject used a longer skipping rope (as the As an improvement, the test
shorter one was not available) in trials 1-3 which was subject could have used the
harder to operate with as the rope occasionally got shorter skipping throughout
caught up in the test subject's feet. This impacted our the entire experiment instead
experiment because it caused the physical action of using two different ropes.
skipping to be inconsistent.

Human Error: This slightly fluctuating the speed which in turn The test-subject could
 The test-subject did not skip at the
same rate every time and lost control
of the rope several times. Human Error
is only present due to the lack of time
given to repeat trials that went wrong.
Evaluation:
changes the intensity of the exercise each time. Only carefully think about the pace
the duration was supposed to change the intensity of of the skipping and practice
the exercise, not the speed. This could cause the rate at which he/she
imprecise results. should skip prior to the
experiment.

Aside from these weaknesses, there were also strengths to our experiment. Some of the things
which were done correctly was the consistent form of skipping practiced and proper safety
precautions.

Extension:
Aside from the circulatory system, the respiratory system is also noticeably affected by
exercise and it can be measured by observing the rate at which oxygen enters the body and
carbon dioxide exits the body. If given an opportunity to do this IA again, I would focus on
how the intensity/duration of an exercise affects the breathing rate of a person. In addition,
I would change the exercise to star-jump as they are much easier to conduct. My research
question would be: What is the effect of increasing the duration/intensity of star jumps (15,
25, 35, 45, 55 seconds) on the breathing rate (breathes/minute) of a fifteen-year-old
female?

Bibliography:

1. Jennifer Haythe. 2016. Dr. Jennifer Haythe Activity | Sharecare. [ONLINE] Available
at: https://www.sharecare.com/doctor/dr-jennifer-h-haythe/activity. [Accessed 24
May 2019].

2. Khan Academy. 2019. The circulatory system review (article) | Khan Academy.
[ONLINE] Available at: https://www.khanacademy.org/science/high-school-
biology/hs-human-body-systems/hs-the-circulatory-and-respiratory-systems/a/hs-
the-circulatory-system-review. [Accessed 23 May 2019].

3. Heart and Circulatory System (for Teens) - KidsHealth. 2019. Heart and Circulatory
System (for Teens) - KidsHealth. [ONLINE] Available at:
https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/heart.html. [Accessed 24 May 2019].

4. Science Buddies. 2014. Sweaty Science: How Does Heart Rate Change with Exercise?
- Scientific American. [ONLINE] Available at:
 https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bring-science-home-heart-rate-
excercise/. [Accessed 30 May 2019].

5. LIVESTRONG. 2017. How Does Exercise Affect Heart Rate? | Livestrong.com.

[ONLINE] Available at: https://www.livestrong.com/article/143569-how-does-
exercise-affect-heart-rate/. [Accessed 23 May 2019].