How to Make a Lung Model

Cost 

$1 - $5

Safety Issues

None

Approximate Time Required to Complete the Project 

10 – 20 minutes

Objective

Witness the process of how the lungs expand and contract with the help of the diaphragm. Build your own model lungs out of balloons and soda bottles.

Materials and Equipment/Ingredients

• Balloons(Grocery/Convenience Store)
• Clear Plastic 1 Liter Soda Bottles (Grocery Store)
• Tape (Hardware/ Office Supply Store)
• Rubber Bands (Hardware/ Office Supply Store)
• Y Shaped Tube

Introduction

Build your own lungs out of balloons and soda bottles. See how the pressure inside the bottle affects the shape and compression of the balloon.

Terms, Concepts and Questions for Background Research

• Expand and Contract
• Pressure
• P.S.I.

Research Questions

• What causes the balloons to expand?
• What causes the balloons to deflate?
• What causes air to go into your lungs?
• What causes air to go out of your lungs?

Experimental Procedure

1. Cut the soda bottle’s bottom end so that it has a large circle on the bottom and the spout on the top.
2. Put 2 balloons on 2 of the Y shaped tube’s holes.
3. Put the 3^rd hole inside the bottle and out the spout of the soda bottle.
4. Take another balloon and cut the top of it off.

 

5. Put this balloon on the bottom of the bottle so that it covers the circular opening.
6. Put a rubber band around this balloon.
7. Your lungs should look like this:

 

8. To work the model, pull on the bottom balloon and watch as the 2 balloons on the inside of the bottle grow bigger. As you push the bottom balloon into the bottle, watch the 2 balloons shrink.
9. Write down what you think is happening and list what parts of this model represents actual parts in your lungs.