TEACHER ENRICHMENT INITIATIVES

Activity 3C Part 3: Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis: What’s Your Resistance

Students will use their knowledge of simple series circuits from prior activities and a multimeter to explore electrical resistance in the human body.
 
Students will measure how electrical resistance changes over distance in a human arm.
 
Students will explore how the concentration of a solution can change the electrical resistance of that solution. This will be related to the concept of dehydration and how bioelectrical impedance is dependent on the hydration levels in the human body.
 
Using scenario cards, students will analyze human conditions to determine how they affect the calculated percent of body fat in a human being.
 
Objectives: 
  • Describe basic human body composition as fat mass and fat-free mass
  • Apply terms such as resistance, reactance and impedance
  • Explore how bioimpedance can be used to measures the fat content of humans
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of electrical bioimpedance machines as an accurate measure of body fat in humans
  • Collect, record, and analyze data
  • Identify independent variables, dependent variables, and constants. 

 

Downloads: 
PDF icon Teacher Background Information 3C P3
PDF icon Teacher Administrative Information 3C P3
PDF icon Teacher Answer Key 3C P3
PDF icon Teacher Scenario Cards 3C P3
PDF icon Student Part A Measuring Resistance in the Body 3C P3
PDF icon Student Part B The Relationship between Resistance and Distance 3C P3
PDF icon Student Part C Relationship between Resistance & Concentration of Ions 3C P3
PDF icon Student Part D The Relationship between Resistance and Water 3C P3
Keywords: 

Body composition, fat mass, fat-free mass, resistance, reactance, impedance, bioimpedance, fat content, electrical bioimpedance, body fat

 

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Activity Code: 
3C P3
Unit Reference: 
Corpulosity: A Study of Obesity
Lesson Reference: 
Lesson 3: Fat: Who Says? (Measuring Obesity)