Music To My Heart
By Kayla • April 3, 2018

Ever wonder if different styles of music affect a person's heart rate? Fifth grade student, Minal Aundhia, did and decided to experiment with the concept for her science fair entry.
Project Preparation
Aundhia hypothesized that music with soothing rhythms like classical, jazz, and relaxation would work to slow a test subject's heart rate, while upbeat selections like Disney tunes, rock, pop, and bollywood (e.g. Hindi, Punjabi, etc.) would cause their heart rate to speed up.
But before she could begin experimentation, Aundhia first had to learn about both heart rate and sound:
- What is heart rate?
- How is it determined?
- What factors cause an increase or decrease in heart rate?
- Does sound affect heart rate?
- How do we hear?
- How is sound perceived?
- How might music affect heart rate?
Experimentation
With an understanding of the basics, Aundhia chose four volunteers to test. [NOTE: For better results, test a larger number of participants.] For a look at the supplies used in the experiment, procedure, a table of results, and conclusions, be sure to visit Aundhia's project page. Not only is this a great project for students who are interested in music, physiology, and psychology, experiment volunteers will certainly enjoy being tested!
Disclaimer: The content on this page is for informational purposes only and reflects my personal experience and opinions. I’m not a financial advisor, and this is not financial advice. Please do your own research and consult with a qualified professional before making financial decisions. Some of the links on this page are affiliate or referral links, which means I may earn a commission or bonus if you use them. There’s no extra cost to you—and it’s a great way to support the site if you find the content helpful.