Topic 3 - Flowing Gan Ming Huang

The smaller piper is 70% the size of the large pipe. This will mean that each individual smaller pipe will have a lower cross sectional area than the larger pipe by about 30%. Using the continuity equation (which is A1V1 = A2V2), we can calculate the Velocity of the pipe at both ends of the pipe. The ratio of V1/V2 will be roughly 0.7. Therefore, the velocity of the water in the smaller pipe will be 0.7 times greater than the velocity of the fluid in the larger pipe. With this calculation, we are able to use Bernoullis equation to measure the pressure of the water across the pipe. Bernoullis equation states that as the water slows down the pressure will increases; when water is moving faster, the pressure will decrease. Because we know that the velocity of the water moving in the smaller pipe is higher, we know that the pressure at the smaller pipe will be lesser than the one at the big pipe, using Bernoullis equation. When blood is used instead of water (eg. In the bloodstream), the ratio of V1/V2 will be roughly the same as water. This is because the continuity equation only takes in consideration the cross sectional area and the velocity at the 2 points. .There will also be a resistance towards the flow (viscosity). We can use Poiseiulles equation to find the change in pressure for this movement and then the vascular resistance of the blood vessel. However, there are some exceptions of this due to limitations. Such as turbulence, elastic walls and vessels. The change in pressure of blood will be higher for blood than water using the Poiseiulles equation. This is because the blood has a higher density than water.