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Advan. Physiol. Edu. 27: 244-a-245-a, 2003; doi:10.1152/advan.00021.2003
1043-4046/03 $5.00
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ADV PHYSIOL EDUC 27:244-245, 2003
© 2003 American Physiological Society

ILLUMINATION

Pressure-Volume Curve and Compliance of a Balloon: a Simulation

Sarah Weissenberg and Revital Lavy

The Open University of Israel, PO Box 39328, Tel-Aviv, Israel 61392. E-mail: saraw{at}openu.ac.il


   Abstract
TOP
 Abstract
Introduction
 Study Goals
 Experiment and Simulation
 References
 
As educators, we are continually designing new methods and procedures to enhance learning. During this process, good ideas are frequently generated and tested, but the extent of such activities may not be adequate for a full manuscript. Nonetheless, the ideas may be quite beneficial in improving the teaching and learning of physiology. Illuminations is a column designed to facilitate the sharing of these ideas (illuminations). The format of submissions is quite simple: a succinct description of about one or two double-spaced pages (less title and authorship) of something you have used for the classroom, teaching, lab, conference room, etc. You may include one or two simple figures or references. Submit ideas for inclusion in Illuminations directly to the Associate Editor in charge, Stephen DiCarlo (sdicarlo@med.wayne.edu).


   Introduction
TOP
 Abstract
 Introduction
Study Goals
 Experiment and Simulation
 References
 
Compliance is a term that is being used in physiology of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. From our experience, although compliance has rather a simple physical (mathematical) definition, the physiological concept is not so simple and is not intuitively understood by students.

The balloon model is often used in the literature to explain lung (or blood vessels) compliance (1, 2, 3). During their physiology studies, biology undergraduate students do not have the opportunity to measure real lung or blood vessel compliance. Measuring the compliance of a balloon instead may help students to understand the concept better.

Because the Open University is a long-distance learning university, we have prepared a simulation that enables the students to perform the experiment on their home PCs.


   Study Goals
TOP
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Study Goals
Experiment and Simulation
 References
 
After the exercise students should be able to


   Experiment and Simulation
TOP
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Study Goals
 Experiment and Simulation
References
 
The simulation is based on a "real" experiment that was performed at the Open University students’ laboratory with simple equipment: a mercury manometer and a device for measuring the volume of a balloon. To measure the balloon’s volume, the balloon was immersed in a measuring tube filled with water. The volume change was calculated from the water’s height (Archimedes Law). From the data, the volume-pressure curves for inflating and for deflating the balloon were plotted. With a few assumptions, (neglecting the water pressure on the balloon) the balloon’s compliance can be calculated from the curve. The simulation was prepared by the multimedia team of SHOHAM, The Open University Center for Information Technology in Distance Education.

The simulation can be performed online on the course home page, or it can be downloaded to PCs in the student’s home. On the simulation (Fig. 1), the students are required to inflate and deflate a virtual balloon and collect the volume and pressure data onto an Excell worksheet. They are asked to draw the pressure-volume curve of the balloon and calculate the compliance.



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  		FIG. 1 The simulation.

 
The simulation is accompanied by a guide and an online multiple-choice preparatory questionnaire. The guide includes theoretical background, instructions for performing the experiment/simulation, and instructions for calculations and lab report. At the end, they have to submit a lab report.


   Acknowledgments
 
We thank R. Levin (students’ lab, Open University of Israel) for assisting with the experiment, Dr. A. Bar-Ilan [The Open University of Israel (current address: QBI Enterprises Ltd., Israel)], and Dr. R. Arieli (Israel Naval Medical Institute) for their advice, and the SHOHAM (Center for Information Technology in Distance Education, The Open University of Israel) multimedia team.


   References
TOP
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Study Goals
 Experiment and Simulation
 References
 

  1. Berne RM and Levy MN. Principles of Physiology (3rd ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby, chapt. 21, p. 238, 2000.
  2. DiCarlo SE, Collins HL, and Rodenbaugh DW. Experiment to help students understand pulmonary compliance. Adv Physiol Educ 26: 135–136, 2002.[Free Full Text]
  3. Rhoads R and Pflanzer R. Human Physiology (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks-Cole, chapt. 20, p. 646, 2003.



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This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
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Citing Articles
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Right arrow Articles by Weissenberg, S.
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Right arrow Articles by Weissenberg, S.
Right arrow Articles by Lavy, R.

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