Heart Valve Model

For this project, each group in the class was supposed to design a functional model of the aortic heart valve using commonly used materials found either in the classroom or from home. My group was Avery Blake and Savannah Reynolds. The goal was to correctly show the properties of a real heart valve and make it open and close automatically while learning about its anatomy and Young's Modulus. We began by doing research about the structure and function of the heart valve. Then we tested different materials with similar elasticity to the heart's tissues. We tested a latex glove, felt, and a tube. We tested them by tying them with string to hang them and hung a gold cube, tape measure, and bolt (all with different masses) to see the initial and final length of which they hung. 

After we tested our materials, we decided to use the latex glove and felt and began making out prototype. We cut slits in the top of a red solo glove and then inserted the glove into it. This model allowed water to pass through when pressure was applied, simulating the real function of a valve. Our model successfully opened and closed and we were very happy with the results!

Final Heart Valve Model Report

Aortic Valve: This is a one-way heart valve located between the left ventricle and the aorta. It is responsible for preventing the backflow of blood into the heart as blood is pumped from the heart into the aorta and the rest of the body.

Young's Modulus: This is the measure of the stiffness of a material, defined as the ratio of stress (force per unit area) to strain (proportional deformation) in the linear elastic region of the material's deformation.

Elasticity: This is the ability of a material to return to its original shape and size after being stretched, compressed, or deformed by an external force, as long as the force does not exceed the material's elastic limit.

Valve Tissue: Valve tissue is the specialized connective tissue in heart valves, composed of collagen and elastin fibers, that enables the valves to open and close properly, regulating blood flow.

Stress vs Strain: Stress is the force applied per unit area of a material, typically measured in Pascals (Pa). Strain is the relative deformation or displacement of a material in response to stress, expressed as the change in length divided by the original length.

I believe this project was fairly successful for my group. Although we were working on our Capstone Project proposal at the same time, we successfully made a working heart valve model that my group was proud of! For this reason I think my group's collaboration was a very strong part of this project. With all our other work going on simultaneously to this project we did a very good job splitting up work and dividing and conquering. We were never afraid to ask each other questions if we were having trouble with our current tasks and always did our share of the work. Along with collaboration, I also believe our communication was excellent. We would also ask questions and send updates to each other in our group chat and were very clear about what parts we wanted to finish and when we wanted them finished. 

One thing I think my group and I can definitely improve in the future is our conscientious learning. With extracurriculars, other classes, and our Capstone project, we were overwhelmed with the amount of work we had and because of this at times, we prioritized other assignments over our heart valve. Since we did this, we were scrambling to get everything turned in on time and in the future, we for sure could manage our time better. Another thing my group and I could have done better is our critical thinking. There was a lot of new material introduced in this project and instead of trying to figure out how to do it on our own we often turned to classmates or Mr. Tronconi to help us. To improve this in the future we can try to fix our problems on our own or look them up when really stuck and limit the times we ask for help.