How is the resistance to fluid flow R in a cylindrical pipe related to fluid dynamic viscosity eta?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. Directly proportional to dynamic viscosity eta
- Step 1: Hydraulic resistance from Poiseuille's law is R = 8 eta L / (pi r^4). Step 2. Resistance is directly proportional to dynamic viscosity eta; elevated blood viscosity (e.g. polycythemia) increases vascular resistance and cardiac workload. Answer: Directly proportional to dynamic viscosity eta. Why not the others: Inversely proportional is false; resistance depends strongly on viscosity; inverse squared is non-physical.
Practise more Medical Mechanics, Fluids and Thermal Physics.
Free questions with an explanation for every one, and full timed Medical College Admission Test (Bangladesh) mock tests.
More Medical Mechanics, Fluids and Thermal Physics questions
- According to Poiseuille's Law, how is laminar volumetric blood flow rate Q through a blood vessel related to the vessel radius r? (Hard)
- What instrument is routinely used with a stethoscope to measure arterial blood pressure in clinical medicine?
- What produces the clinical Korotkoff sounds heard through a stethoscope (Hard) during arterial blood pressure measurement?
- What is the primary physiological function of pulmonary surfactant in human alveoli?
- According to the Law of Laplace (P = 2T / r), what would happen to smaller alveoli compared to larger ones if surfactant were completely abs…
- What clinical disorder in premature infants is caused by surfactant deficiency due to immature Type II alveolar pneumocytes?