The heart working model provides a simplified representation of the cardiac cycle and blood circulation, offering a hands-on approach to understanding the basic principles of the human heart’s functionality.
This project encourages discussions about the importance of the heart in maintaining circulation and sustaining life.
Creating a working model to simulate the functionality of the human heart involves replicating the pumping action of the heart and understanding the flow of blood through its chambers. Below is an explanation of how to construct and explain a basic heart working model:
Materials Needed:
- Two balloons (representing the atria)
- Two plastic bottles (representing the ventricles)
- Plastic tubing or straws
- Water
- Red food coloring (optional)
- Syringe or squeeze bulb
- Cardboard or foam board (for the base)
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- Marker
- Scissors
- Tape
Construction Steps:
- Base Construction:
- Cut the cardboard or foam board to create a stable base for the model.
- Atria (Balloons):
- Attach two balloons to one end of each plastic bottle using tape. These balloons represent the atria (upper chambers of the heart).
- Ventricles (Plastic Bottles):
- Attach the other end of each plastic bottle to the base. These bottles represent the ventricles (lower chambers of the heart).
- Connecting Chambers (Tubing or Straws):
- Connect the balloons (atria) to the plastic bottles (ventricles) using plastic tubing or straws. Ensure a secure connection.
- Blood (Water):
- Fill one bottle (ventricle) with water, adding a few drops of red food coloring if desired. This represents oxygenated blood.
- Pumping Action:
- Squeeze the syringe or squeeze bulb to simulate the contraction of the heart. As the balloon (atrium) contracts, it pushes water (blood) into the plastic bottle (ventricle).
- Flow of Blood:
- Observe how the squeezing action forces water from the atria into the ventricles, mimicking the flow of blood from the upper to the lower chambers of the heart.
How It Works:
- Atrial Contraction:
- Squeezing the balloon (atrium) represents the contraction of the atria, which occurs in the heart’s natural pumping cycle.
- Ventricular Contraction:
- As the balloon contracts, it forces water (blood) into the plastic bottle (ventricle), simulating the filling of the ventricles during the cardiac cycle.
- Blood Flow:
- The movement of water from the atria to the ventricles demonstrates the flow of blood through the heart, highlighting the coordination of atrial and ventricular contractions.