Can a piece that expands when blood flows through it decrease pressure?

In summary, the pressure in a syringe with gradually decreasing tubing will increase until it reaches the smallest diameter. However, if a piece that expands as the blood flows through it is added, the pressure can decrease due to the displacement of the tubing walls. This concept is explained by Bernoulli's principle and is similar to how a pressure regulator works.
  • #1
xfactor352
1
0
If i have a syringe used to pump blood through a set of tubing that becomes smaller and smaller, the pressure will obviously increase until it gets to the smallest diameter of the tubing. However, if I create a piece that expands when the blood flows through it, will this decrease the pressure?

The idea is that the blood displaces the walls of the tubing, thus reducing pressure. Is this idea physically possible?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Welcome to PF!

Actually, if the flow is slow enough that there isn't much loss due to friction, pressure is constant throughout the tubing. If there is loss, the pressure will decrease the further along in the tubing it gets. And that's even without adding in the additional decrease in static pressure (conversion to velocity pressure) due to the speeding up of the fluid and Bernoulli's principle.

You may want to look into Bernoulli's principle actually -- it explains a lot about your question: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernoulli's_principle

However, if I create a piece that expands when the blood flows through it, will this decrease the pressure?
That sounds a lot like how a regulator works. There's more to it than that, though: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pressure_regulator
 

FAQ: Can a piece that expands when blood flows through it decrease pressure?

What is fluid pressure?

Fluid pressure is the force per unit area exerted by a fluid on its surroundings. It is a measure of the intensity of the collision between the particles of the fluid and the surface it is in contact with.

How is fluid pressure calculated?

Fluid pressure is calculated using the formula P = F/A, where P is the pressure, F is the force applied, and A is the area over which the force is applied. This means that the pressure increases as the force applied increases or as the area decreases.

What factors affect fluid pressure?

The factors that affect fluid pressure include the density of the fluid, the depth of the fluid, and the acceleration due to gravity. The shape of the container and the type of fluid also play a role in determining the pressure.

Why does pressure increase with depth in a fluid?

Pressure increases with depth in a fluid due to the weight of the fluid above it. As the depth increases, there are more particles of fluid above, resulting in a greater weight and therefore, a greater pressure.

How is fluid pressure different from gas pressure?

Fluid pressure and gas pressure are both measures of force per unit area, but they differ in the type of substance they are exerted by. Fluid pressure is exerted by liquids, while gas pressure is exerted by gases. Additionally, gas pressure is affected by temperature, while fluid pressure is not.

Back
Top