Controlling Rate of Respiration Discussion Post-lab questions: 1.

The average number of breaths per minute can be determined by counting the number of breaths during a three-minute period and then dividing the resulting value by three. In comparison to counting the actual number of breaths in a minute, finding an average is a more accurate representation of respiratory rate. If we were to count the number of breaths in a minute, the value could be easily skewered by slight breathing changes or other disturbances that may occur during that short period of time. A small error would end up having a large impact on the calculated rates. 2. Holding breath increases the level of carbon dioxide and decreases the level of oxygen in the body. Hyperventilating decreases the level of carbon dioxide and increases the level of oxygen in the body. Breathing into a paper bag increases the level of carbon dioxide and decreases the level of oxygen in the body. According to my results in both trials, after holding my breath for 45s, my breathing rate increased due to the lack of oxygen and the build-up of carbon dioxide. The increased breathing rate allows for greater intake of oxygen and quicker removal of excess carbon dioxide in the tissues. After hyperventilating, my breathing rate decreased in the first trial due to the high concentration of oxygen and low concentration of carbon dioxide in the body. In the second trial, my breathing rate increased because I changed my hyperventilating form. Instead of focusing on inhaling deeply followed by a shallow exhalation, I focused on shallow inhalation and forceful exhalation. Consequently, the intake of oxygen decreases in comparison to the first trial, causing an increase in breathing rate. During both trials, after breathing into a paper bag, my breathing rate increased and deepened due to the decrease of available oxygen in the paper bag and the increase in concentration of carbon dioxide as I exhaled into the bag. 3. Workers in a crowded, poorly ventilated office building have higher breathing rates. Under such conditions, the concentration of oxygen in the surrounding is low due to higher intake of by the crowd, and the concentration of carbon dioxide is high due to exhalation; hence, the workers have to inhale more frequently to obtain the oxygen needed by the body tissues, and exhale to expel the build-up of carbon dioxide in the body. 4. Both my classmates and my breathing rates increased after holding our breaths in order to increase the intake of oxygen and to expel the build-up of carbon dioxide in our body. However, our breathing rates increased by different amounts. This may be due to the difference in lung capacity. Greater lung capacity enables a person to take in more oxygen and expel more carbon dioxide in one breath, resulting in a smaller increase in breathing rates after holding breath as the body can quickly replenish the need for oxygen and remove excess carbon dioxide. In addition, after hyperventilating, some classmates have higher breathing rates while some have lower breathing rates. The increase or decrease is affected by the form of hyperventilation. Inhaling deeply followed by a shallow exhalation will increase the

concentration of oxygen and decrease the concentration of carbon dioxide, resulting in decreased breathing rates. Shallow inhalation and forceful exhalation decreases the overall intake of oxygen, resulting in increased breathing rates. ___________________________________________________________________________ The purpose of this lab was to determine the effects of oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations on the rate of respiration, by comparing the resting breathing rate of a person to the resulting rate of breathing after holding breath, after hyperventilating and while breathing into a paper bag. The purpose was met by this experiment. Before the experiment, my class predicted that the concentration of carbon dioxide will have a greater control over the rate of respiration in comparison to the concentration of oxygen. We failed to reject our hypothesis. According to the general results of the class, breathing rates are most affected after holding breath and while breathing into a paper bag. These two conditions greatly increase the concentration of carbon dioxide in the body. Hyperventilating increases the concentration of oxygen in the body and therefore, has less impact on the change in breathing rates. Due to the higher concentration of oxygen in the atmosphere, oxygen is mostly present in abundance in the body regardless of whether a person holds his/her breath, is hyperventilating or is breathing into a paper bag. In addition, each breath provides an overabundance of oxygen. Consequently, the change in concentration of oxygen does not cause a drastic change in breathing rates. However, since carbon dioxide is present is small amounts both in the atmosphere and the human body, a slight change in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the body stimulates a greater response. Breathing rates increase more drastically to remove the build-up of carbon dioxide. Despite the precautions taken, there are a few sources of errors. Firstly, while breathing into a paper bag, air from the bag may leak out and air from the surrounding may enter the paper bag if it is held loosely against a persons mouth and nose. The mixing of air will cause the air breathe in from the paper bag to have similar concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide as air from the surroundings. This will hinder us from measuring the effect of increased concentrations of carbon dioxide on breathing rates as breathing rates will return to normal resting rates. Secondly, the form of hyperventilation affects the accuracy of the results. Inhaling deeply followed by a shallow exhalation decreases breathing rates. On the other hand, shallow inhalation and forceful exhalation increases breathing rates. Thirdly, the calculated breathing rates for each condition may not be the same as a persons natural breathing rates. While focusing on counting our breathing rates, we may subconsciously alter our rate of breathing, causing it to differ from actual breathing rates. The effects of oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations on breathing rates are related to the real world. During vigorous exercises, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the body increases, causing the depth and rate of breathing to increase. Moreover, similar to breathing into a paper bag, under poorly ventilated or crowded conditions, the concentration of carbon dioxide inhaled into the body increases as time passes due to the increased amount of exhaled air in the surroundings, causing an increase in breathing rates. Next, the partial pressure of

oxygen is lower at high altitudes; hence, humans hyperventilate to maximise the intake of oxygen and also to remove excess carbon dioxide. This lab can be extended by analysing the effects various types of music, such as jazz, rock, blues and dramatic music, have on breathing rates. In addition, for future experiments, the form of hyperventilation should be unified for more consistent results among students.