Heart Rate Lab Report

Investigative Quest

The purpose of this experiment was to find out how music affects the female human heart rate. Hypothesis

My hypothesis is that female resting heart rate will increase as the music tempo increases. If the tempo is slower the heart rate will stay at resting heart rate or decrease. Variables

The variables used in this experiment were:
• The tempo of the music.
• The subject’s heart rate.
• The subject’s age.

Controls

The controls used in this experiment were:
• How long the subject rested before listening
• How long the subject listened.
• All subjects were female.
• Where & how the heart rate was taken.
• Music listened to.
• Number of songs listened to.
• Same volume listened to.
• Same environment.

Controlled Experiment
Each subject will lie on the same couch in the same position and in the same listening environment.
Subject’s heart rate will be taken four (4) times for one (1) minute, one (1) minute apart, and then averaged together to establish a resting heart rate.

Subject’s heart rate will be taken four (4) times for one (1) minute, one (1) minute apart, and then averaged together, after listening to each song for one (1) minute.

The same five (5) songs will be played
• Tempo 1- Classical: Mozart Piano Sonata #15
• Tempo 2 - Country: Cruise
• Tempo 3 - Pop: Shake It Off
• Tempo 4 - Rock And Roll: It’s My Life
• Tempo 5 - Meditation: Ocean Waves

Same heart rate measuring device will be used, an Omron Manual Inflation Blood Pressure Monitor, Model HEM-412C. This device will be put on the right arm of all the subjects. Background Information

I was interested in doing this experiment with the body and something out of the ordinary. I looked up music and heart rate on the Internet and read a couple articles on the effect of music on the human heart. I decided to test females only because I only have sisters. Materials

Quantity Item Description
1 Blood Pressure Monitor
1 Computer – Internet
5 Songs
4
Subjects
1 Chair
1 Camera
1 Timer
1 Calculator
1 Notebook
1 Couch

Procedures

1. Gather materials
2. Test subject’s resting heart rate four (4) times and average together.
3. Place the blood pressure monitor on each subject’s right arm.
4. Open www.gooveshark.com and play one (1) song for one (1) minute.
5. Find heart rate and record it in notebook.
6. Get subject’s heart rate back to average resting heart rate. Approximately one (1) minute.
7. Repeat step six (6) three (3) more times.
8. Find the average of the four (4) heart rates taken.
9. Chart each change in heart rate for each tempo.
10. Repeat steps 1-9 for each subject.

Data Tables

Resting Heart Rates
Subject Rate 1 Rate 2 Rate 3 Rate 4 Average
McKenna 64 64 70 78 69
Ellery 53 50 60 81 61
Waverley 66 76 73 96 77
Heather 64 61 63 62 62

Tempo 1 – Classical – Mozart Piano Sonata #15
Subject Rate 1 Rate 2 Rate 3 Rate 4 Average
McKenna 66 72 72 66 69
Ellery 73 70 64 60 66
Waverley 69 79 72 74 73
Heather 62 60 61 65 62

Tempo 2 – Country – Cruise
Subject Rate 1 Rate 2 Rate 3 Rate 4 Average
McKenna 74 71 69 72 71
Ellery 80 69 82 72 75
Waverley 74 79 74 80 76
Heather 65 70 70 66 67

Tempo 3 – Pop – Shake It Off
Subject Rate 1 Rate 2 Rate 3 Rate 4 Average
McKenna 66 80 64 57 66
Ellery 72 55 60 75 64
Waverley 84 87 77 71 64
Heather 70 70 68 72 70

Data Tables Continued

Tempo 4 – Rock and Roll – It’s My Life
Subject Rate 1 Rate 2 Rate 3 Rate 4 Average
McKenna 68 58 82 59 66
Ellery 76 79 68 66 72
Waverley 74 73 72 72 72
Heather 68 66 60 70 66

Tempo 5 – Mediation – Ocean Waves
Subject Rate 1 Rate 2 Rate 3 Rate 4 Average
McKenna 63 77 80 46 66
Ellery 63 70 64 46 60
Waverley 70 70 70 81 57
Heather 68 64 57 70 64

Graphs

Graphs Continued

Results

Subjects resting heart rates went down when the tempo of the music went down. I averaged all subjects resting heart rates at 67. However, when I played tempo 3 & 4 the average heart rate went up to 77. When I played tempo 2 the heart rate average increased from resting to 76. Tempo 1 had an average heart rate of 73. And tempo 5 the average heart rate was the closest to resting at 66.

The average heart rate:
Tempo 1 - Classical – 73
Tempo 2 – Country – 76
Tempo 3 – Pop – 77
Tempo 4 – Rock and Roll – 77
Tempo 5 – Mediation – 66

Conclusion

This experiment proves my hypothesis was correct. Female’s resting heart rates increased as the tempo of music increased. The slower the tempo, the resting heart rate either stays the same or goes slower.

Credits

Ms. Stenquist for the opportunity to do the science fair.

McKenna, Waverley, Ellery and Heather Caldwell for participating as subjects.

Works Citied

Greenburg, R. (May 2011). How To Listen To Great Music. New York, New York: Penguin Group.

McGruff, D. (2009). Body By Science. New York: North River.

Holt, B. Aug 16, 2013. So Different Kinds Of Music Change The Heart Rate? Retrieved Aug 16, 2013 from http://www.livestrong.com/article/352811-do-different-types-of-music-affect-the-heart-rate/

Shippen, Melissa. “Heart Rate.” Telephone Interview. 12 Oct 2014.