Q1. Describe any change in heart rate you observed during and after breath-holding.

Ans1. Following some initial slowing, tachycardia is often induced with breath-holding.

Q2. What changes did you observe in pulse amplitude during and after breath-holding?

Ans2. Peripheral pulse amplitude often increases with breath-holding, as increased pCO2 results in
peripheral vasodilation.

Q3. Did you observe any changes in heart rate during and after the simulated dive?

Ans3. Bradycardia is almost always induced with the simulated dive.

Q4. Describe any changes in pulse amplitude you observed during and after the simulated dive. Explain
why these changes occurred.

Ans4. The increased vasoconstriction to peripheral blood vessels will shunt blood away from the
extremities and result in a decreased pulse amplitude. Offsetting this, the effect of bradycardia. If this is
pronounced, there will be much greater ventricular filling during the prolonged diastole and this will
increase the force of contraction and raise pressure, and therefore, pulse amplitude.

Q5. Compare the effects of diving and breath-holding on pulse rate. Were they the same?

Ans5. During diving, there should be a larger decrease in pulse rate that is sustained compared with
during breath-hold where there may be a smaller decrease in pulse rate which may then gradually
increase.

Q6. How long did the diving response take to occur? How quickly did the heart rate return to normal
after a dive?

Ans6. We can’t say it’s a fixed time as it varies in subjects in these experiments. This experiment was
simulated on one volunteer, a different volunteer would have a different time.

Q7. What environmental factors could explain differences between breath-holding and a “dive”?

Ans7. Temperature, wetness, pressure on the face and body position; all these could influence the
diving response.

Q8. Compare the changes in heart rate during dives among the members of other groups. Is the effect
between individuals similar?

Ans8. Heart rate usually decreases by between 10-25%. Bradycardia may be more pronounced in
athletes or very fit individuals.

Q9. Do your results for leg volume suggest that peripheral circulation changes during a “dive”?
Ans 9. Yes, peripheral circulation usually decreases during a dive.

Q10. Do your results for leg volume suggest that peripheral circulation changes during a breath-hold?

Ans10. Leg volume is usually much less affected during a breath-hold than it is in the “dive”.

Q11. Based on your data, describe the potential advantages and disadvantages of the diving response.

Ans11. The dive response can be considered advantageous because the reduction in heart rate, together
with vasoconstriction, may help conserve body heat. Blood, directed away from the extremities, likely
prevents excess heat loss and direct the oxygen supply to more critical central organs.

Q12. What other factors should be accounted for during a real drive that were not simulated in this
activity?

Ans 12. During a real dive, where the entire body is immersed in cold water, metabolic activity may
actually increase as the body attempts to generate heat to thermoregulate.