You can do a variety of science projects about breathing.
Breathing is essential to human life, as it provides the body with fresh oxygen on inhalation and disposes of the carbon dioxide waste product during exhalation. Because everyone breathes, it is a suitable topic for exploration in a variety science projects. For example, you can touch on human anatomy, performance and athletics and pollution.
Breathing Ability in Athletes and Non-Athletes
Test a group of 60 people: 15 male athletes, 15 male non-athletes, 15 female athletes and 15 female non-athletes. Have each person take a deep breath and blow up a balloon as much as possible in one breath. Measure the diameter of the blown-up balloon and record it in a notebook. Calculate the average diameter of balloons blown up by each type of person tested to see if there is a difference in the breathing ability of athletes and non-athletes and whether gender is a factor.
Lungs
For a science project on breathing, you can construct a model of the human lung to illustrate how it works and why it is important. Make the model using balloons attached to surgical tubing, sealed with rubber bands, and place it inside a plastic bottle with the bottom cut off and replaced with another balloon, which you pull down on to simulate how the diaphragm functions as the main breathing muscle--inflating and deflating the balloons.
Respiration Rate
Have a group of people sit or lie down and relax quietly. Count how many times the first person breathes in one minute and write it down in a notebook. Continue recording the respiration rate for the other people. Instruct each person, one at a time, to jog in place or do jumping jacks for three minutes and count their breathing rate again. Calculate the average breathing rate for the group while they are relaxing and after exercising and determine what the difference is.
Smog
Research the amounts of smog found in various major cities around the world and present the information in a chart. Provide information on childhood asthma rates and other breathing problems associated with living in areas where there is more smog. Explain what smog is, how it is generated and what steps are being taken to reduce it.
Tags: breathing rate, Calculate average, each person, group people, science projects