GENERAL PHYSIOLOGY LAB

BIO 192.2

LABORATORY ACTIVITY NO. 1

EFFECT OF EXERCISE ON HOMEOSTASIS

GROUP 3

BACONGCO, Angelbert R.
DATO-ON, Vanessa Pearl B.
PALOMO, Jason Vann A.
RELLON, Vladimir C,
VINSON, Nidelli S.

ABSTRACT
Exercise cause fluctuations within the body, activating homeostatic
mechanisms. Two volunteers underwent vigorous exercise for 9 minutes. Their
perspiration level, body temperature, breathing rate, and heart rate were measured
prior and after the vigorous exercise. It was observed that their perspiration level,
body temperature, breathing rate, and heart rate all increased.

INTRODUCTION
Homeostasis is a dynamic state of equilibrium, wherein the body regulates its
internal environment to ensure stability in response to changes in the external
environment (Janig, 2006). Physical exercise induces physiological changes such as
increase in the bodys oxygen requirement, perspiration level, temperature,
respiration rate, and heart rate.

In this activity, the students tested the following hypotheses:

A. If the person exercises, then he/she will produce more sweat than usual.
B. If the person exercises, then his/her body temperature will increase.
C. If the person exercises, then he/she will breathe faster than usual.
D. If the person exercises, then his/her pulse will beat faster than usual.

METHODOLOGY

Preparation of Materials
Before starting the laboratory activity, the group first prepared a jumping rope,
a thermometer, an alcohol and we used our cellphones as our stopwatch. And also,
the group also prepared a paper and a pen for the recording of the data since all
data of this activity needs to recorded directly.

Gathering of Data
To begin the activity, the group chose two volunteers to jump rope. The group
made sure that these the volunteers were inactive before doing the experiment. In
the paper that the group prepared, it is divided in half which is for each student, and
divided into five parts in each side for the time and the four parameters that the
group are going to measure before and during the experiment. The time listed were,
0 minutes for the resting time, 2 minutes, 4 minutes, 6 minutes, 8 minutes and 9
minutes for the final time. The four parameters are the following: (a) perspiration
level, in which the group will rate the students perspiration level in 0 for none, 1 for
mild, 2 for medium and 3 for high, (b) body temperature, in which the group will put
the thermometer under the volunteers arm pit for one minute, (c) breathing rate, in
which the group will count the breaths of the student in 10 seconds and will be
multiplied by 6 to get breaths/minute, and (d) heart rate, in which the group count
the number of beats in the carotid pulse for 10 seconds and will be multiplied by 6
to get the beats/minute. The group made the activity with one volunteer at a time
and also, the group assigned members that will be the timer, the recorder and the
one who will count the breathing, for the volunteer himself will count his number of
beats. Before the group started the time, the resting observations and values were
recorded for each parameters in each volunteer. The timer will give the GO signal,
and the volunteer did a 2-minute jumping rope. After 2 minutes, the group quickly
measured and recorded the parameters, for the volunteer should not wait while
recording the data. This will be repeated until they reached the 8-minute time
period. When the volunteer finished the given time period, he will rest for a minute,
for the parameters were measured for the final time in the data table. Last, the
thermometer were cleaned with alcohol. Then all of this, were again repeated for
the second volunteer.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Time Perspiration Body Breathing Rate Heart Rate

Interval Level Temperature (breaths/min) (beats/min)
(oC)
S1 S2 S1 S2 S1 S2 S1 S2
0 (before 0 0 36.0 35.8 36 36 90 102
exercise)
2 1 1 35.8 36.0 48 54 144 162
minutes
4 2 2 36.1 35.0 48 72 162 156
minutes
6 3 3 36.3 36.0 72 66 156 180
minutes
8 3 2 36.8 36.4 66 76 138 162
minutes
9 2 2 36.8 35.6 66 62 180 132
minutes
Table 1. Data table showing the subjects perspiration level, body temperature,
breathing rate, and heart rate throughout the activity.

Body temperature is expectedly observed to have increased. Muscles require

energy to work, and they obtain this by burning fuels such as fats and
carbohydrates through chemical reactions that produce heat. The amount of heat
produced by the working muscles is relative to the amount of work they perform
(Miller, 2015). To maintain homeostasis, blood vessels in the skin dilate to allow
more blood flow to the surface where heat is dispersed. Evaporation of sweat and
expiration of warm air also help cool the body to maintain a stable body
temperature (Fisk, 2015).

Both subjects perspiration level are observed to have increased from 0 to 2. As

the body temperature increases, the body must compensate to prevent overheating
and/or heat stroke. Thus, the body perspires more. As mentioned earlier, sweating
helps cool the body; as it evaporates, it carries off excess heat (Miller, 2015).

During exercise, cells, particularly those in the muscles, must respire more. They
require faster acquisition of oxygen and glucose and quicker removal of waste
carbon dioxide. To achieve this, breathing rate is increased (BBC, 2014). Because
oxygen is obtained by blood in the lungs, the lungs must work harder. Faster
breathing rate ensures more oxygen delivered to the working muscles as well as
more rapid removal of carbon dioxide (Bjerke, 2013). Excess carbon dioxide leads to
lactic acid buildup which may impair the bodys performance. For every extra inhale
of oxygen, excess carbon dioxide is exhaled (Fisk, 2015).

Together with the increase in breathing rate is the increase in heart rate. The
muscles demand for faster delivery of oxygen causes the heart to increase its rate
of pumping (Bjerke, 2013). Another factor that cause the heart rate to increase is
the increase of body temperature. The heart pumps more blood to the skin to lower
the temperature (Miller, 2015). Hormones regulate heart rate, so the heart rate
increases for as long as needed (Fisk, 2015).

Figure 1. Perspiration level vs time

Figure 2. Body temperature vs time

Figure 3. Breathing rate vs time

Figure 4. Heart rate vs time

LITERATURE CITED
BBC. 2014. Effects of exercise on breathing. Bitesize. Retrieved February 7, 2017
from
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_edexcel/organism_energy
/respirationrev3.shtml
Bjerke, A. 2013. Why does your breathing rate increase during exercise? LiveStrong.
Retrieved February 7, 2017 from http://www.livestrong.com/article/149316-why-
does-your-breathing-rate-increase-during-exercise/
Fisk, M. 2015. How does the body maintain homeostasis in response to exercise?
LiveStrong. Retrieved February 7, 2017 from
http://www.livestrong.com/article/369714-how-does-the-body-maintain-
homeostasis-in-response-to-exercise/
Janig, W. 2006. The integrative action of the autonomic nervous system:
Neurobiology of homeostasis. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Miller, J. 2015. Why does body temperature increase during exercise? LiveStrong.
Retrieved February 7, 2017 from http://www.livestrong.com/article/361702-why-
does-body-temperature-increase-during-exercise/

DOCUMENTATION

Volunteer No. 1
Volunteer No. 2