For your lab experiment this week, you will be completing two different exercises. The first one will be involved with a virtual lab on respiration and the mechanism of breathing, and the second one you will be doing on your own at home and involves measuring lung capacity.
I. Virtual Lab: Respiration- Mechanism of Breathing (35 points total)
1. Directions: Read the background information and then complete the assigned McGraw Hill virtual lab.
2. Closely follow the given procedure for this lab.
3. When you have successfully completed the experiment, answer the following questions:
Lab Assignment Questions (7 points each):
1. What is the function of the diaphragm?
1. Is breathing a voluntary or involuntary process or both? Explain.
1. Which structures of the upper respiratory system trap and help eliminate substances such as dust, pollen, bacteria, etc.? Describe how these structures filter the incoming air.
1. What are three important functions of the respiratory system?
1. Explain, in detail, how air is exhaled from the lungs.
II. Lung Capacity
1. Vital Capacity Experimental Results (14 points: 1 point each response)
| Trial # | Diameter of Balloon
(cm) |
Volume of Balloon (cm3)
(from graph) |
| 1 | ||
| 2 | ||
| 3 | ||
| 4 |
· Calculate the average diameter and volume of balloon for all 4 trials _______
· Now calculate your vital capacity using this online calculator: _______
1. Expiratory Reserve Experimental Results (13 points: 1 point each response)
| Trial Number | Diameter of Balloon (cm) | Volume of Balloon (cm3) from graph |
| 1 | ||
| 2 | ||
| 3 | ||
| 4 |
Calculate the average diameter and volume of balloon for all 4 trials: _____________
1. Tidal Volume Experimental Results (13 points: 1 point each response)
| Trial Number | Diameter of Balloon (cm) | Volume of Balloon (cm3) from graph |
| 1 | ||
| 2 | ||
| 3 | ||
| 4 |
Calculate the average diameter and volume of balloon for all 4 trials: _____________
Lung Capacity Assignment Questions:
1. Which of these had the greatest volume: vital capacity, expiratory reserve, or tidal volume? Why?
1. What factors might influence the volume of a person’s lungs?
1. Compare the values that you got from part A in the vital capacity experiment with the balloon versus the value you got from the online calculator. Which value do believe was more accurate?
1. Why?
1. Which of these people should have a greater vital capacity: an Olympic athlete or an office worker who sits at their desk all day? Explain your reasoning.
You will complete and submit this experiment for Lab report #5 using the proper format (questions and answers must be given) as a word document (not a pdf file). It must be completed and submitted by 11:59 PM Sunday evening (ET).
