Your heart and lungs: a pump and a bellows
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What you will learn
By the end, you can say what the heart and lungs do and why your pulse changes when you exercise.
Put two fingers on your wrist. That steady beat is your heart pumping blood. Run on the spot for a minute and feel it speed up. Why does it?
Read the explanation
Your heart is a strong muscle that pumps blood around your body. The blood carries oxygen and food to every cell. Your lungs are like bellows: they pull in air to get oxygen and push out the air we do not need. When you exercise, your muscles need more oxygen, so your heart beats faster.
- The heart pumps blood around the body.
- The lungs bring oxygen in and push used air out.
- Exercise makes muscles need more oxygen, so the heart beats faster.