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Gimme a beat! - How does a stethoscope work? (Experiment) |
by Mya Kagan (whyzz writer) >> more about the author
Before the stethoscope was invented, doctors would sometimes try to listen to the sounds inside a patient using just their ear. Even though they weren’t able to hear as many sounds as a stethoscope can supply, there were some things they were still able to hear.
Have you ever listened to a heartbeat?? They’re usually loud enough to hear without a stethoscope. Ask a family member or friend you are close with if you can try to hear his or her heartbeat -- to do this, you’ll need to put your ear up against the other person’s chest, like giving a close hug.
What do you hear? What does the rhythm of the heart beat sound like? In what part of the chest did you find the heartbeat? Try to count as many of the beats as you can!