Figure 8 shows the heart rate of person A and person B - Edexcel - GCSE Biology Combined Science - Question 5 - 2020 - Paper 1
Question 5
Figure 8 shows the heart rate of person A and person B.
Person A does not do any regular exercise.
Person B has been running regularly for one year.
(a) Both people... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Figure 8 shows the heart rate of person A and person B - Edexcel - GCSE Biology Combined Science - Question 5 - 2020 - Paper 1
Step 1
Compare the heart rates of person A with the heart rates of person B.
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Answer
During the first 6 minutes of rest, both person A and person B show stable heart rates. However, when they begin exercising, the heart rate of person A is significantly higher than that of person B, indicating that person A's heart struggles to meet the increased demand for oxygen and nutrients. In contrast, person B's heart rate rises more gradually since they are more accustomed to physical activity. Additionally, while person A's heart rate spikes during exercise, person B's heart rate stabilizes, reflecting their better cardiovascular fitness.
Step 2
Calculate the cardiac output for person B before exercising.
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Answer
Cardiac output (CO) can be calculated using the formula:
CO=extStrokeVolumeimesextHeartRate
Assuming the heart rate for person B before exercising was around 70 bpm, we can substitute:
CO=61extmlimes70extbpm
This gives:
CO=4270extml/min=4.27extlitres/min
Step 3
Explain why the heart rate for person A needed to be higher than the heart rate for person B during exercise.
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Person A needed a higher heart rate during exercise because their body is less efficient at delivering oxygen and nutrients to the tissues due to lack of conditioning. To compensate for this inefficiency, the heart must pump faster to achieve a sufficient cardiac output. In contrast, person B, being more fit, can maintain adequate blood flow with a lower heart rate, making their cardiovascular system more efficient.