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Which of the following blood vessels would have the lowest blood pressure?

a.inferior vena cava
b.femoral vein
c.aorta
d.femoral artery

1 Answer

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Final answer:

The inferior vena cava has the lowest blood pressure among the vessels listed because it is a thin-walled vein with a large lumen close to the heart, where venous blood pressure is lowest.

Step-by-step explanation:

Among the blood vessels listed, the inferior vena cava would have the lowest blood pressure. This is because the veins, especially those closer to the heart, like the vena cava, are thin-walled and have large lumens which contribute to lower blood pressure compared to arteries. Additionally, veins have valves to prevent backflow and aid the return of blood to the heart. The femoral vein also has relatively low pressure, but not as low as the inferior vena cava which is closer to the heart where the venous blood pressure progressively decreases. In contrast, the aorta and femoral artery are high-pressure vessels.

Blood pressure within the vein and blood flow also decrease as blood volume decreases. When considering the entire circulatory system, the inferior vena cava is at the endpoint before the blood returns to the heart, which is why it has the lowest pressure among the options provided.

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