The human brain and spinal cord are immersed in the cerebrospinal fluid. The flu

Question

The human brain and spinal cord are immersed in the cerebrospinal fluid. The fluid is normally continuous between the cranial and spinal cavities and exerts a pressure of 100 to 200 mm of H2O above the prevailing atmospheric pressure. In medical work, pressures are often measured in units of mm of H2O because body fluids, including the cerebrospinal fluid, typically have the same density as water. The pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid can be measured by means of a spinal tap as illustrated in the figure below. A hollow tube is inserted into the spinal column, and the height to which the fluid rises is observed. If the fluid rises to a height of 150 mm, we write its gauge pressure as 150 mm H2O.

(a) Express this pressure in the following units.

P = _______ Pa ???

P = ________atm ???

P__________ mm Hg ???

Explanation / Answer

P=gh=1000*(150/1000)*9.81=1471.5 Pa

P=1471.5/105 Pa=1.471*10-2 Pa

P=1471.5/13.6 =108.2 mm of Hg

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