Question

Suppose 200 W of heat flows by conduction from the blood capillaries beneath the skin to the body's surface area of 1.7 m². If the temperature difference is 0.50 °C, estimate the average distance of capillaries below the skin surface.

Answer 1

To estimate the average distance of capillaries below the skin surface, you can use the formula for heat conduction and rearrange it to solve for thickness.

Step-by-step explanation:

To estimate the average distance of capillaries below the skin surface, we can use the formula for heat conduction:

Rate of Heat Conduction = (Thermal Conductivity * Area * Temperature Difference) / Thickness

Given that 200 W of heat flows by conduction, the temperature difference is 0.50 °C, and the surface area is 1.7 m², we need to rearrange the formula to solve for the thickness:

Thickness = (Thermal Conductivity * Area * Temp Difference) / Rate of Heat Conduction

Without knowing the thermal conductivity, we cannot calculate the exact value for the thickness. However, by using the provided formula and substituting the given values, you should be able to estimate the average distance of the capillaries below the skin surface.