Marshmallow Magic: Exploring Respiratoty System and Boyle’s Law

Group number (if applicable) :

Name of members :
(Surname, Given name,
Middle)

Instructor : Asst Prof Jayson De Vera

Introduction

Our body is made up of different organs, each comprising a specific organ system, one of
which is the respiratory system. The respiratory system is a network of organs and tissues that
work together to help us breathe and live. Anatomically, it is divided into two areas, the upper
respiratory tract and the lower respiratory tract, which have the lungs, and the muscles that
power the lungs themselves. This organ system is responsible for the exchange of oxygen and
carbon dioxide between the air and the blood and between the blood and the body's cells. In this
process, one more scientific concept partakes in explaining the flow of oxygen and carbon
dioxide in the body and the factors affecting the pressure and volume of the air we intake and
discharge.

Have you ever wondered why our lungs contract when we exhale and expand while we
inhale? Boyle's Law is a gas law that states that pressure and volume have an inverse
relationship, meaning that when the volume of our lungs increases, the pressure in them
decreases in comparison to the pressure outside our bodies in the atmosphere. So, as the volume
decreases, pressure increases and vice versa.

Objectives
1. Identify the relationship between the respiratory system and Boyle's Law.
2. Demonstrate the relationship between the respiratory system and Boyle’s law through an
experiment.
3. Promote ways to make our respiratory system healthy.
Procedure

Here's a procedure for using a syringe to compress a marshmallow:

1. Gather a syringe and a marshmallow.

2. Draw a face or letter on the Marshmallow. This will help you see how it changes under
pressure.

3. Remove the plunger of the syringe and place the marshmallow inside the barrel.

4. Put the index finger on the cap of the syringe to secure the marshmallow inside.
5. Hold the cap firmly and push the plunger into the syringe barrel slowly to compress the
marshmallow. Observe.

6. Don't remove your index finger on the cap on the syringe. Now, pull back on the plunger
to release the compressed marshmallow. Observe the results.

7. Clean the syringe and dispose of any waste properly.

Guide Questions:

1. What does the pulling and pushing of a plunger represent? How does it affect the
marshmallow inside the syringe? What are the factors contributing to the marshmallow
after pulling and pushing the plunger?
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2. What is the relationship between volume of marshmallow and pressure coming from the
plunger that occurs in the experiment, and how is it related to the gas exchange in the
respiratory system? Illustrate and explain your answer.

3. Explain how Boyle's Law plays a crucial role in the process of inhalation and exhalation
(breathing in and out) within the human respiratory system?
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 4. Give an example of how you will integrate the two concepts in real life scenarios,
considering ways to make your respiratory system healthy.
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Conclusion
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