CIRCULATORY SYSTEM

Take a Pulse

Place two fingers firmly on various pulse points around your body. Places you can choose are the Radial Pulse (the thumb side of your wrist), Carotid Pulse (on either side of the windpipe) or the Femoral Pulse (in the groin). Count the number of beats in a minute.

A pulse can be felt where an artery is compressed over a bone or hard area. There are other pulse points in the body that you may wish to discover. The average healthy pulse for a relaxed person is about 70 to 80 beats per minute.

Observing Capillaries

Materials you need are:

cedarwood furniture oil

cotton wool

a torch

magnifying glass

a friend

Soak the tip of your finger in cedarwood furniture oil. The shine a strong light from underneath your finger. Observe the capillaries with a magnifying glass.

The cedarwood oil cleans the skin thoroughly so that the capillaries are easier to see.