Final answer:
To compute blood pressure 0.500 m below the heart at 120/80 mm Hg, an increase of 39 mm Hg is calculated, yielding observed pressures of 159/119 mm Hg.
Step-by-step explanation:
Blood pressure can vary depending on the location where it is measured due to hydrostatical changes when switching from a higher to a lower point in the body or vice-versa.
To calculate the blood pressure at a point 0.500 m below the heart if the blood pressure at the level of the heart is 120/80 mm Hg, we would use the concept that blood pressure increases by 0.78 mm Hg for every centimeter below the heart level due to the weight of the blood column above the point of measurement, considering the density of blood and the acceleration due to gravity. In this case, the increase would be 0.500 m × 10 cm/m × 0.78 mm Hg/cm = 39 mm Hg. Therefore, the observed pressures would be 159/119 mm Hg.