======Easy Heart Pump Model======


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**Materials: **{{$demo.materials_description}}\\
**Difficulty: **{{$demo.difficulty_description}}\\
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**Alternative titles:** DIY Human Heart Model
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====Summary====                   
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====Procedure====  
  - Fill a small jar halfway with water and add a few drops of red food coloring to represent blood.  
  - Cut the neck off a balloon and stretch the remaining portion tightly over the top of the jar.  
  - Use a toothpick to poke two small holes in the balloon, about an inch apart.  
  - Push a bendy straw through each hole so that the bendy parts stick upward.  
  - Take the cut-off balloon neck and place it over the opening of one straw to act as a valve.  
  - Place a cup under the open straw to catch the "blood."  
  - Push down firmly on the balloon surface between the straws to pump the liquid up and out of the open straw.



====Links==== 
Make A DIY Heart Model | Human Body | Experiment | Arts & Crafts | Science For Kids - Big Bang Academy Kids: 
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📄 Easy Heart Pump Model: Cardiovascular STEM for Kids - Team Cartwright: [[https://team-cartwright.com/heart-pump-model/]]\\

====Variations====
  * Use this on Valentine's day for a themed demonstration.
  * Use larger jars and thicker straws for a bigger model.  
  * Add tape or glue around the straw holes to prevent air leaks and improve pumping efficiency.  
  * Try adding two jars connected by tubing to simulate blood moving between heart chambers.  




====Safety Precautions====
  * Adult supervision is required when cutting the balloon and poking holes.  
  * Food coloring may stain surfaces, so protect work areas.  
  * Avoid vigorous pumping near electronics or delicate surfaces to prevent spills.




====Questions to Consider====
  * How does the balloon act like the muscles of the heart? (It squeezes down to push the liquid, just as the heart contracts to pump blood.)  
  * Why does the balloon neck on one straw act like a valve? (It allows liquid to flow one way but prevents it from going backward.)  
  * How is this model different from a real human heart? (The human heart has four chambers and multiple valves, while the model is simplified with only one pump and two "vessels.")