Final answer:
Blood pressure is measured with a sphygmomanometer, and sounds between systolic and diastolic pressures are heard with a stethoscope. The tapping sounds, known as Korotkoff sounds, occur from the systolic pressure until they cease at the diastolic pressure, indicating free blood flow.
Step-by-step explanation:
When measuring blood pressure, a device called a sphygmomanometer is used. This involves a cuff, a pump, and a stethoscope to hear the sound of blood flow. As the cuff's pressure is lowered from a value above the systolic pressure, a tapping sound can be heard with the stethoscope when the pressure is equal to the systolic pressure, indicating that blood begins to spurt into the artery. The sounds heard between the systolic and diastolic pressure are known as Korotkoff sounds. They continue until the cuff pressure reaches the diastolic pressure, at which point the sounds cease and blood flows freely through the artery. Blood pressure is reported with two numbers, the systolic and diastolic pressures, such as 120/80 mm Hg, where 120 represents the systolic pressure and 80 represents the diastolic pressure.