Monday, May 4, 2009

Discussion

The purpose of this experiment was to verify our predictions about how the body systems would respond to increased physical activity. In order to attest our hypothesis, some volunteers participated in three different exercise levels and afterwards got their body metabolic mechanisms measured and evaluated. The data observed after each activity had a similar pattern to which we has already suspected. More the action was demanding, the higher were the results and the more the body reacted. When the students was resting, the data was normal and stayed around average, oppositely with the harder jog or warm-up, where each data had more of a serious result.

These aftereffects occurred because the human system had to interact in order to keep the cells working. Each cell in the muscles needed more oxygen when doing more work because of increased cellular respiration within the cell. During exercise, the liver generates extra glucose while increasing the volume of the blood being pumped by the heart. Respiration by the lungs provides an increased amount of oxygen. When the activity level in very prolonged and demanding, a degeneration of the level of glucose in blood, may happen. There can also be physical damage due to dehydration and ricks of low blood pressure. Prolonged exercise is made possible by the human thermoregulation (keep its body temperature within certain boundaries) capacity to remove waste by sweat evaporation.
Humans have a large ability to expend energy for many hours doing maintained exercise. Skeletal muscled burns, every minute in continuous activity, glucose and energy. The amount varies somewhat with size, gender and age. Exercise sustained for very long periods of time, dominate the energy metabolism of the body.

Blood is a mixture of cells and a watery liquid, called plasma, that the cells float in. It also contains other things like nutrients (such as sugar), hormones, clotting agents, and waste products to be flushed out of the body. It is made up of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Blood is the transport system for oxygen, glucose, carbon dioxide and part of the water. Oxygen in the blood is carried by a system of tubules made-up of arteries, arterioles, and capillaries. Oxygen diffuses from the high concentration in the arterial capillaries into the area of low concentration in the cell. Oxygen attaches itself to the erythrocytes that are red blood cells. Erythrocytes contain hemoglobin which is a molecule that contains an iron atom. Oxygen binds itself to that iron atom.

Carbon dioxide diffuses from the high concentration in the cells into the area of low concentration in capillaries around the cell. The capillaries carry the blood rich in carbon dioxide to the venules and then to the veins. The veins carry the carbon dioxide to the upper and lower vena cava that lead into the right atrium. It then is carried downwards, to the right ventricle and up and out the pulmonary artery. The carbon dioxide comes back in the heart through the pulmonary veins into the left atrium. It circulates to the left ventricle and out the aorta to the rest of the body.

Receptors, such as the one in the aorta, detect the rise in carbon dioxide in the body as the blood leaves the left ventricle. The carbon dioxide receptor
examines the level of carbon dioxide in the blood. The receptor sends a signal to respiratory centre in response to an increase or decrease in the levels of carbon dioxide. The respiratory centre is located in the medulla oblongata at the base
of the brain.

The respiratory centre , which is part of the central nervous system and part of the autonomous nervous system, sends a signal to the muscles involved with respiration such as the intercostal muscles in the rib cage and the diaphragm to work faster if the levels of carbon dioxide have increased. These signals occur very quickly. During the intense activity level the abdominal muscles were also activated by the respiratory system. This was not part of the procedures so in the next repetition of the experiment this should be included in the procedures as one of the variables to observe.


As the muscles around the lungs contract,they enlarge the area around the lungs.The enlarged area around the lungs decreases the pressure in the lungs. The pressure outside the body is greater at that point than in the lungs so air from the outside is forced into the lungs by the difference in pressure. As the muscles
relax and return to their original positions, the higher pressure on the lungs forces air from the lungs into the air.

The lungs are comprised of two main sections. The left and the right lungs. Air from the outside enters through the nose and the mouth and heads down the trachea, to the bronchial tubes and into each lung. While the air is inhaled, the rib cage expands and the diaphragm contracts. While exhalation is taking place, the rib cage gets smaller as the rib muscles relax and the diaphragm relaxes as well.


During a work-out, the muscles being used need more oxygen. This causes to breathing faster. After finishing the task, the muscles need to relax in order for them to resupply with oxygen. The level of oxygen in the body comes back to its normal amount after about 36 to 48 hours of rest after a full body exercise. The time varies also depending on the age, the gender, the size and how the activity was demanding or not. If you eat a lot of protein and you massage your muscles, it will help them heal faster. To avoid cramps and stiffing, it is good to include stretching before and after the exercise. Drinking plenty of water and hydrating your body will help as well.

This experiment could also test the level of carbon dioxide produced at the different levels of activity. This can be measured by having the subjects blow through a straw into lime water. Lime water turns murky white in the presence of carbon dioxide. The faster the lime water turned milky white, the more carbon dioxide the subject must be exhaling.
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