Calculate the difference in blood pressure between the top of the head and the t

Question

Calculate the difference in blood pressure between the top of the head and the toes of a human by treating the blood as a static fluid (this is a very crude approximation because there is a pump which is making the blood flow). Assume that the person is 158 cm tall and that the density of blood is 1060 kg/m3 (use g-10 m/s2). For comparison, "normal" blood pressure is about 880 mm Hg = 117 kPa, this comprises 760 mm Hg of atmospheric pressure and 120 mm Hg of relative pressure The difference in blood pressure is kPa

Explanation / Answer

The difference in static pressure is density (rho) times gravity (g) times difference in height (h)

P = rho*g*h
density of blood = 1060 kg/m^3
P = 1060 kg/m^3 * 9.81 m^s2 * 1.58 m
P = 16429.788 kg/m-s^2
P = 16429.8 Pa

Now we need a conversion from Pa to mm - Hg
133.32 Pa per 1 mm-Hg
P = 16429.8 Pa * (1 mm-Hg / 133.32 Pa)
P = 123.24 mm-Hg

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