1. Home
  2. College physics for ap® courses
  3. Fluid dynamics and its biological
  4. Viscosity and laminar flow;

12.4 Viscosity and laminar flow; poiseuille’s law  (Page 4/12)

<< Chapter < Page
  College physics for ap® courses     Page 4 / 12
Chapter >> Page >

The circulatory system provides many examples of Poiseuille's law in action—with blood flow regulated by changes in vessel size and blood pressure. Blood vessels are not rigid but elastic. Adjustments to blood flow are primarily made by varying the size of the vessels, since the resistance is so sensitive to the radius. During vigorous exercise, blood vessels are selectively dilated to important muscles and organs and blood pressure increases. This creates both greater overall blood flow and increased flow to specific areas. Conversely, decreases in vessel radii, perhaps from plaques in the arteries, can greatly reduce blood flow. If a vessel's radius is reduced by only 5% (to 0.95 of its original value), the flow rate is reduced to about ( 0 . 95 ) 4 = 0 . 81 size 12{ \( 0 "." "95" \) rSup { size 8{4} } =0 "." "81"} {} of its original value. A 19% decrease in flow is caused by a 5% decrease in radius. The body may compensate by increasing blood pressure by 19%, but this presents hazards to the heart and any vessel that has weakened walls. Another example comes from automobile engine oil. If you have a car with an oil pressure gauge, you may notice that oil pressure is high when the engine is cold. Motor oil has greater viscosity when cold than when warm, and so pressure must be greater to pump the same amount of cold oil.

The figure shows a section of a cylindrical tube of length l. The two end cross section are shown to have pressure P two and P one respectively. The radius of the cylindrical tube is given by r. The direction of flow is shown by horizontal arrows toward right end of the tube. The flow rate is marked as Q.
Poiseuille's law applies to laminar flow of an incompressible fluid of viscosity η size 12{η} {} through a tube of length l size 12{l} {} and radius r size 12{r} {} . The direction of flow is from greater to lower pressure. Flow rate Q size 12{Q} {} is directly proportional to the pressure difference P 2 − P 1 size 12{P rSub { size 8{2} } - P rSub { size 8{1} } } {} , and inversely proportional to the length l size 12{l} {} of the tube and viscosity η size 12{η} {} of the fluid. Flow rate increases with r 4 size 12{r rSup { size 8{4} } } {} , the fourth power of the radius.

What pressure produces this flow rate?

An intravenous (IV) system is supplying saline solution to a patient at the rate of 0 . 120 cm 3 /s size 12{0 "." "120"``"cm" rSup { size 8{3} } "/s"} {} through a needle of radius 0.150 mm and length 2.50 cm. What pressure is needed at the entrance of the needle to cause this flow, assuming the viscosity of the saline solution to be the same as that of water? The gauge pressure of the blood in the patient's vein is 8.00 mm Hg. (Assume that the temperature is 20ºC .)

Strategy

Assuming laminar flow, Poiseuille's law applies. This is given by

Q = ( P 2 − P 1 ) π r 4 8 η l , size 12{Q= { { \( P rSub { size 8{2} } - P rSub { size 8{1} } \) π`r rSup { size 8{4} } } over {8ηl} } } {}

where P 2 size 12{P rSub { size 8{2} } } {} is the pressure at the entrance of the needle and P 1 size 12{P rSub { size 8{1} } } {} is the pressure in the vein. The only unknown is P 2 size 12{P rSub { size 8{2} } } {} .

Solution

Solving for P 2 size 12{P rSub { size 8{2} } } {} yields

P 2 = 8 η l πr 4 Q + P 1 . size 12{P rSub { size 8{2} } = { {8ηl} over {πr rSup { size 8{4} } } } Q+P rSub { size 8{1} } } {}

P 1 size 12{P rSub { size 8{1} } } {} is given as 8.00 mm Hg, which converts to 1 . 066 × 10 3 N/m 2 size 12{1 "." "066" times "10" rSup { size 8{3} } `"N/m" rSup { size 8{2} } } {} . Substituting this and the other known values yields

P 2 = 8 ( 1 . 00 × 10 − 3 N ⋅ s/m 2 ) ( 2 . 50 × 10 − 2 m ) π ( 0 . 150 × 10 − 3 m ) 4 ( 1 . 20 × 10 − 7 m 3 /s ) + 1 . 066 × 10 3 N/m 2 = 1 . 62 × 10 4 N/m 2 .

Discussion

This pressure could be supplied by an IV bottle with the surface of the saline solution 1.61 m above the entrance to the needle (this is left for you to solve in this chapter's Problems and Exercises), assuming that there is negligible pressure drop in the tubing leading to the needle.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Flow and resistance as causes of pressure drops

You may have noticed that water pressure in your home might be lower than normal on hot summer days when there is more use. This pressure drop occurs in the water main before it reaches your home. Let us consider flow through the water main as illustrated in [link] . We can understand why the pressure P 1 size 12{P rSub { size 8{1} } } {} to the home drops during times of heavy use by rearranging

Questions & Answers

if three forces F1.f2 .f3 act at a point on a Cartesian plane in the daigram .....so if the question says write down the x and y components ..... I really don't understand
Syamthanda Reply
hey , can you please explain oxidation reaction & redox ?
Boitumelo Reply
hey , can you please explain oxidation reaction and redox ?
Boitumelo
for grade 12 or grade 11?
Sibulele
the value of V1 and V2
Tumelo Reply
advantages of electrons in a circuit
Rethabile Reply
we're do you find electromagnetism past papers
Ntombifuthi
what a normal force
Tholulwazi Reply
it is the force or component of the force that the surface exert on an object incontact with it and which acts perpendicular to the surface
Sihle
what is physics?
Petrus Reply
what is the half reaction of Potassium and chlorine
Anna Reply
how to calculate coefficient of static friction
Lisa Reply
how to calculate static friction
Lisa
How to calculate a current
Tumelo
how to calculate the magnitude of horizontal component of the applied force
Mogano
How to calculate force
Monambi
a structure of a thermocouple used to measure inner temperature
Anna Reply
a fixed gas of a mass is held at standard pressure temperature of 15 degrees Celsius .Calculate the temperature of the gas in Celsius if the pressure is changed to 2×10 to the power 4
Amahle Reply
How is energy being used in bonding?
Raymond Reply
what is acceleration
Syamthanda Reply
a rate of change in velocity of an object whith respect to time
Khuthadzo
how can we find the moment of torque of a circular object
Kidist
Acceleration is a rate of change in velocity.
Justice
t =r×f
Khuthadzo
how to calculate tension by substitution
Precious Reply
hi
Shongi
hi
Leago
use fnet method. how many obects are being calculated ?
Khuthadzo
khuthadzo hii
Hulisani
how to calculate acceleration and tension force
Lungile Reply
you use Fnet equals ma , newtoms second law formula
Masego
please help me with vectors in two dimensions
Mulaudzi Reply
how to calculate normal force
Mulaudzi
Got questions? Join the online conversation and get instant answers!
Jobilize.com Reply
<< Chapter < Page Page > Chapter >>
Practice Key Terms 5

Read also:

Get Jobilize Job Search Mobile App in your pocket Now!

Get it on Google Play Download on the App Store Now




Source:  OpenStax, College physics for ap® courses. OpenStax CNX. Nov 04, 2016 Download for free at https://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11844/1.14
Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc.

Notification Switch

Would you like to follow the 'College physics for ap® courses' conversation and receive update notifications?

Ask