Question

calculate the difference in pressure (in atmospheres) that the blood vessels in a giraffe's head must accommodate as the head is lowered from a full upright position to ground level for a drink. the height of an average giraffe is about 6 m .

Answer 1

The blood pressure difference a giraffe must handle when lowering its head can be calculated using the formula ΔP = ρgh, accounting for the height difference when drinking. With a 6-meter height change, the calculated pressure in Pascals is then converted to atmospheres.

Step-by-step explanation:

The difference in blood pressure a giraffe must accommodate when lowering its head from an upright position to ground level to drink can be calculated using the principles of fluid statics. The blood inside the giraffe's body can be conceptualized as a column of fluid in which the pressure difference between two points is governed by the equation ΔP = ρgh, where ΔP is the pressure difference, ρ is the density of the fluid (blood in this case), g is acceleration due to gravity, and h is the height difference.

For the giraffe, the height difference (h) is approximately 6 meters when it lowers its head from full upright to ground level. Assuming the density of blood (ρ) is 1060 kg/m³ (a typical value for mammals) and g is 9.81 m/s² (standard acceleration due to gravity), the pressure difference (ΔP) can be calculated. The pressure difference in Pascals (Pa) can then be converted to atmospheres by dividing by the standard atmospheric pressure, which is approximately 101,325 Pa.

Substituting the values, we have: ΔP = (1060 kg/m³)(9.81 m/s²)(6 m). After calculating the pressure difference in Pascals, the result can be divided by 101,325 Pa to obtain the value in atmospheres.