Professor Kabeer

BIOL 202

The Effect of Temperature on Heart Rate

Sadye Luttig, Jennifer Kavanagh, Hannah Houghton

Hypothesis

If an individual is exposed to cold temperatures (between 40-50°F) for 10 minutes their heart rate will decrease compared to their heart rate recorded in room temperature (between 65-75°F) for 10 minutes.

Methods and Materials

Heart rate for both parts were recorded through radial pulse for 15 seconds and multiplying that value by 4. For the first part, each individual stood in room temperature (between 65-75°F) for 10 minutes and had their heart rate taken following the 10 minute mark. The same individual then stood outside in a cooler temperature (between 40-50°F) and the same procedure was repeated. This was done with 8 people total which were then split into 2 age groups: those who were 9-13 years old and 20-30 years old.

Results

Conclusion

The results do not support the hypothesis, and instead show that heart rate increases in cooler temperatures compared to room temperature. This is because the heart has to put in more work in order to pump blood throughout the body, which is caused by the vasoconstriction that occurs within the circulation.

References

“How does cold weather affect your heart?” Heart Matters, Dec. 2022, www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/research/effect-cold-weather-heart#:~:text=When%20you%20are%20cold%2C%20blood,heart%20rate%20and%20blood%20pressure.