Final answer:
Converting 120/80 mm Hg blood pressure to newtons per meter squared typically involves a direct conversion factor, but not the fluid equation (P = hρg) which is for fluid height. Infant blood pressure is lower than adult blood pressure because the heart pumps blood over a shorter distance due to the infant's smaller size.
Step-by-step explanation:
Converting Blood Pressure Readings
When converting normal blood pressure readings of 120 over 80 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury) to newtons per meter squared (N/m2), we would typically use a conversion factor because pressure units from mm Hg to N/m2 are not directly related to the height, density, and gravitational acceleration of a fluid. However, the relationship due to the weight of a fluid (P = hρg) involves the density (ρ) of the fluid, the acceleration due to gravity (g), and the height (h) of the column of the fluid.
Blood pressures for an infant could be smaller than those for an adult because the height to which blood must be pumped is less. The systolic pressure reflects the arterial pressure during the ejection of blood, whereas diastolic pressure represents the arterial pressure when the heart is at rest.
Infant blood pressure is generally lower due to the smaller size of the infant and the shorter distance the heart must pump.