Final answer:
To find the distance that blood travels in one heartbeat, multiply the velocity (30 cm/s) by the duration of a heartbeat. If one heartbeat lasts about 1 second, the distance is approximately 30 cm.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question refers to the velocity of blood in the ascending aorta during one heartbeat and asks how far the blood moves in that time. This is a physics problem, as it involves concepts of motion and flow rates. To determine the distance blood travels in one beat, we can use the velocity of the blood and the duration of the heartbeat. If the blood travels at 30 cm/s in the aorta, as stated in the examples provided, and we assume an average heart rate where one beat lasts roughly 1 second, the distance traveled by the blood in one heartbeat can be estimated by multiplying the velocity by the time (Distance = Velocity × Time). Thus, the blood would travel approximately 30 cm in one beat.