Question

A male body contains 5 to 6 liters of blood, whereas a female body contains 4 to 5 liters. why do you think there is a difference between the two? assuming the above is true for your gender (5.5l in males and 4.5l in females), how long would it take for the entire volume to be pumped through your body one time. refer to your calculations for cardiac output and show all of your work.

Answer 1

The difference in blood volume between males and females can be attributed to factors such as body size and reproductive organs. Males generally have a larger body size and more muscle mass, which may require a larger volume of blood. To calculate the time it would take for the entire blood volume to be pumped through the body, we can use the concept of cardiac output.

Step-by-step explanation:

The difference in blood volume between males and females can be attributed to several factors, including body size, muscle mass, and the presence of reproductive organs. Males generally have a larger body size and more muscle mass, which may require a larger volume of blood to supply oxygen and nutrients to the tissues. The presence of reproductive organs such as the uterus in females can also affect blood volume.

To calculate how long it would take for the entire volume of blood to be pumped through the body, we can use the concept of cardiac output. Cardiac output is the amount of blood pumped by the heart per minute. In this case, assuming a cardiac output of 5.5 liters per minute in males and 4.5 liters per minute in females, we can divide the total blood volume by the cardiac output to get the time.

For males (5.5 liters of blood), the time it would take for the entire volume to be pumped through the body once would be:

1. 5.5 liters / 5.5 liters per minute = 1 minute

For females (4.5 liters of blood), the time would be:

1. 4.5 liters / 4.5 liters per minute = 1 minute

Answer 2

There are several reasons for the difference in the blood volume present in males and females.

Few of them are:

Hormones: presence of testosterone in males promotes erythropoiesis. In addition, presence of estrogen in females inhibits erythropoiesis.

Menstrual loss: Females loss few amount of blood every month through menstrual cycle.

Cardiac output can be calculated by multiplying heart rate with stroke volume.

In healthy male at rest, the heart rate is approximately equal to 70beats per minute and stroke volume is approximately equal to 70-80 ml per minute.

Thus, approximately 5000ml or 5 litre of blood is pumped through the heart per minute.