Question

Please answer 1-5.

Previous research shows that some human populations living at extremely high altitudes have larger lungs. Research has also shown that at high elevations the oxygen concentrations are lower, and people in these areas are at risk of not getting enough oxygen.

1.Generate a hypothesis about why people in high altitudes have larger lungs.

2. Describe the type or types of data you would ideally collect to test this hypothesis.

3. Describe what hypothetical data might support the hypothesis. For example, the hypothesis would be supported if we found data that indicated _____.

4. Describe what hypothetical data might reject the hypothesis. For example, the hypothesis would be rejected if we found data that indicated _____.

5. If you found data that rejected the hypothesis, how would you rewrite your hypothesis to account for your findings and begin again?

Answer 1

1. At extremely high altitudes, alterations in the respiratory system is associated with lung capacity, the perfusion, diffusion capacity, lung ventilation capacityand ventilation relationship. Thus, it could be hypothesized that people at extremely high altitude have larger lung capacity to bring down the excessive ventilation of the lungs.

2. To test this hypothesis, the data that would be ideally collected is oxygen saturation, heart rate and respiratory function such as forced expiratory volume (FEV), and making a comparison of two groups of people living in low and high altitude respectively.

3. The hypothesis would be supported if heart rate of people living at high altitude are lower, while oxygen saturation and FEV levels are higher than those living at low altitude.

4 The hypothesis would be rejected if the reverse happens or if no difference in value is seen, i.e., if heart rate of people living at high altitude are higher or equal, also if oxygen saturation and FEV levels are lower or equal to those living at low altitude.

5. If the data rejects the hypothesis, then the hypothesis might be rewritten as, " No significant variations in pulmonary function at high and low altitudes."