Creating a kidney working model with LED lights to showcase the different parts of the kidney is a great way to explain the anatomy and function visually.
Here’s how you can make it:
Materials Needed:
- Cardboard or Foam Board (to create the kidney and base)
- Colored LED lights (red, blue, yellow, green)
- Battery (9V or coin battery)
- Wires (to connect LEDs to the battery)
- Resistors (220Ω or 330Ω, to protect LEDs)
- Switches (optional, to turn LEDs on/off)
- Glue or tape
- Clay or playdough (for 3D structure)
- Plastic tubing or straws (to represent blood vessels)
- Markers or color pens (to label parts)
- Scissors
- Ruler and pen
Parts of the Kidney to Highlight:
- Renal Artery (blood enters the kidney)
- Renal Vein (filtered blood exits)
- Renal Cortex (outer part of the kidney)
- Renal Medulla (inner part of the kidney, containing pyramids)
- Nephrons (filtering units in the cortex and medulla)
- Renal Pelvis (collects urine)
- Ureter (carries urine to the bladder)
Video Steps for Creating the Model:
1. Create the Kidney Shape
- Cut out a kidney-shaped structure from a large piece of cardboard or foam board.
- Optionally, use clay or playdough to give the kidney a 3D effect.
- Use a marker or paint to draw the different sections of the kidney: the renal cortex, medulla, renal pelvis, ureter, renal artery, and renal vein.
2. Install LED Lights for Each Part
- Red LEDs for the renal artery (blood entering the kidney).
- Blue LEDs for the renal vein (filtered blood exiting).
- Yellow LEDs for the renal pelvis and ureter (representing urine flow).
- Green LEDs for the renal cortex and medulla (filtering regions of the kidney).
Glue or tape the LEDs in the appropriate locations on the kidney.
3. Connect LEDs to a Battery
- Wiring the LEDs: For each LED, connect the longer leg (anode) to the positive terminal of the battery, and the shorter leg (cathode) to the negative terminal.
- Resistors: Place a resistor in series with each LED to prevent it from burning out.
- You can use switches if you want to control each set of LEDs separately (e.g., turning on red LEDs for blood entry, yellow for urine flow, etc.).
Option: Wire the LEDs in parallel, ensuring each one has a direct connection to the battery, which will give equal voltage to each LED.
4. Label the Parts
- Use labels or markers to clearly identify each part of the kidney:
- Renal Artery: Red LED (oxygenated blood enters).
- Renal Vein: Blue LED (filtered blood exits).
- Renal Cortex: Green LED (outer filtering region).
- Renal Medulla: Green LED (inner region containing the pyramids).
- Nephrons: Located in the cortex and medulla (filtration happens here).
- Renal Pelvis: Yellow LED (where urine collects).
- Ureter: Yellow LED (urine flows to the bladder).
5. Enhance the Model
- Use plastic tubing or straws to represent the renal artery and renal vein, placing them next to the red and blue LEDs.
- You can also place a small tube or straw representing the ureter, where the yellow LED shows the flow of urine from the renal pelvis to the bladder.
6. Wiring Example (Parallel Circuit):
- Red LEDs (renal artery) will all be connected to the same power source (with individual resistors) and turned on together.
- Blue LEDs (renal vein) will light up in a similar parallel connection.
- Yellow LEDs (urine flow) and green LEDs (cortex and medulla) can also be controlled in separate circuits if desired.
7. Demonstration:
- Red LEDs light up to show blood entering through the renal artery.
- Green LEDs in the cortex and medulla illuminate to represent the filtering process in the nephrons.
- Blue LEDs light up for filtered blood leaving through the renal vein.
- Yellow LEDs light up to show urine being collected in the renal pelvis and flowing down the ureter.
Explanation of Each Section:
- Renal Artery (Red LED): Carries oxygen-rich, unfiltered blood to the kidney.
- Renal Vein (Blue LED): Carries filtered, oxygen-depleted blood back to the heart.
- Renal Cortex (Green LED): Outer region of the kidney where initial filtering of blood occurs.
- Renal Medulla (Green LED): Contains structures like renal pyramids where more filtration occurs.
- Nephrons: Filtering units that extract waste from blood to form urine.
- Renal Pelvis (Yellow LED): A funnel-like structure where urine collects before it enters the ureter.
- Ureter (Yellow LED): Tube that carries urine from the renal pelvis to the bladder.