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Ch 14: Fluids and Elasticity
Chapter 14, Problem 14

The 30-cm-long left coronary artery is 4.6 mm in diameter. Blood pressure drops by 3.0 mm of mercury over this distance. What are the (a) average blood speed and (b) volume flow rate in L/min through this artery?

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Blood Flow Rate

Blood flow rate is the volume of blood that passes through a given cross-sectional area of a blood vessel per unit time, typically measured in liters per minute (L/min). It is influenced by factors such as the diameter of the vessel and the pressure gradient along its length. In this context, the flow rate can be calculated using the equation Q = A * v, where Q is the flow rate, A is the cross-sectional area, and v is the average speed of blood.
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Average Blood Speed

Average blood speed refers to the velocity at which blood travels through a blood vessel. It can be determined by dividing the flow rate by the cross-sectional area of the vessel. In this case, knowing the diameter of the coronary artery allows us to calculate the area and subsequently find the average speed, which is crucial for understanding how quickly blood is delivered to tissues.
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Pressure Drop

Pressure drop is the decrease in blood pressure as blood flows through a vessel, which can be attributed to resistance encountered due to the vessel's length and diameter. In this scenario, a pressure drop of 3.0 mm of mercury over a 30-cm length of the artery indicates the resistance to flow, which is essential for calculating both the average speed and flow rate of blood. This relationship is often described by Poiseuille's law in fluid dynamics.
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