lung capacity experiment ks2

Science Fun

Lung Capacity Human Body Science Experiment

In this fun and easy human body science experiment, we’re going to explore and investigate how much air you can hold in your lungs.

Large gallon sized glass jar
Quart sized glass jar
Four flat stones
Permanent marker
Pen or pencil
About 24 inches of rubber tubing

Instructions:

Use the quart sized jar to fill the gallon sized jar with water, marking the level on the side of the gallon sized jar after each quart is poured.
Fill the aquarium about three quarters of the way full with water.
Place the four flat stones in a circle on the bottom of the aquarium.
Turn the gallon sized jar over and put it in the aquarium. Some water will fall out but this is not a problem. Position the gallon sized jar so it rests securely on the flat stones.
Make a note of the water level inside the gallon sized glass jar after you get it into position.
Put one end of the rubber tubing into the aquarium and up into the gallon sized jar.
Make sure the other end of the tubing is outside of the aquarium.
Take a deep breath and blow into the tubing.
Measure the new water level in the gallon sized jar.
You should be able to roughly determine by the quart marks on the gallon sized jar the capacity of your lungs.

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How it Works:

This human body science experiment helps visualize the amount of air you can hold in your lungs. When you breath out through the tube and into the jar, the air from your lungs pushes the water from the jar. The air in the jar shows you how much air you had in your lungs.

Make This A Science Project:

Try jogging in place or other exercises before blowing into the tube to see if this effects the your lung capacity.

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1 large bottle with cork - 1.5 L (51 fl oz) is enough for a small child, 5 L (169 fl oz) for an adult
2 drinking straws (one must have a bend) or a piece of tube
A sink or tub

Explanation

How does the vital capacity differ between different people (you can compare this by drawing lines on the bottle)?
How does the tidal volume differ between different people? (The tidal volume is the volume of air moved during a normal, relaxed, breath.)
How does the expiratory reserve volume differ between different people? (The expiratory reserve volume is the volume of extra air you can force out after a normal, relaxed, breath.)