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Using the electrical model of the circulation, what is the cardiovascular equivalent of voltage?

1) Blood flow
2) Resistance
3) Blood pressure
4) There is no good "equivalent" variable

1 Answer

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Final answer:

The cardiovascular equivalent of voltage in the electrical model of the circulation is blood pressure, which similarly to voltage in an electrical circuit, drives blood flow through the circulatory system.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the electrical model of the circulation, the cardiovascular equivalent of voltage is blood pressure. Voltage in an electrical circuit drives the current through the circuit, and similarly, blood pressure provides the force that drives blood flow through the circulatory system.

According to Pouseille's equation, as the blood moves through the vessels from areas of higher pressure towards areas of lower pressure, variables such as vessel length, viscosity, and radius influence the resistance and thus the flow of blood, with the radius of the vessels being a rapidly changeable factor through vasoconstriction and vasodilation.

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