When Biology Meets Physics: Year 12 Students Test the Limits of the Aorta

Today’s Year 12 Biology lesson with Dr Brewer went beyond the specification as students completed a heart dissection and made an exciting discovery — an intact aortic arch. What began as a routine practical quickly turned into an inspiring cross-curricular investigation, sparked by students’ curiosity and supported by a collaboration with Mr Hallett and the Year 12 Physics department.

Seizing the opportunity to explore real-world science, students worked together to design and carry out an experiment testing the tensile strength of the aorta — a vital blood vessel responsible for carrying oxygenated blood away from the heart under extremely high pressure. Using careful measurements, the force applied to the vessel was gradually increased, with students closely recording their data as the investigation progressed.

The experiment reached its dramatic conclusion when, at just over 3 kg of force, the aorta finally snapped. The Physics students then analysed the results, calculating a tensile strength of 0.17 MPa — impressively close to the accepted value of 0.19 MPa for lamb aorta.

This hands-on investigation was a fantastic example of students applying theoretical knowledge to a real biological context, while also demonstrating teamwork, problem-solving, and scientific curiosity across subjects.

A huge well done to our Year 12 biologists and physicists for their enthusiasm, collaboration, and outstanding scientific thinking. A brilliant lesson that truly brought science to life.