Heart Rate

What is Heart Rate?

Heart rate is the number of times the heart contracts in one minute, measured in beats per minute. It increases during physical activity because the muscles respire faster, so they need oxygen and glucose delivered more quickly and carbon dioxide and other wastes removed more quickly; a faster heart rate moves more blood past the muscles in a given time. After activity stops, heart rate falls gradually back to the resting value as the extra demand disappears.

This definition is part of the Transport in Humans chapter in Cambridge O Level Biology.

Concepts related to Heart Rate

• Aerobic Respiration
• recovery time
• Pulse Rate