Question

To determine the size of the needle, remember that the higher the gauge number, the _____.

a) Smaller the needle
b) Larger the needle
c) Sharper the needle
d) Heavier the needle

Answer 1

The higher the gauge number of a needle, the smaller it is. A smaller, sharper point of a needle results in higher pressure, leading to less tissue damage and pain during penetration compared to a dull needle.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the size of the needle, remember that the higher the gauge number, the smaller the needle. This is analogous to the gauge of electrical wire, where higher gauge numbers also indicate thinner wires. When it comes to pressure, a smaller, sharper point concentrates the same force into a smaller area, resulting in higher pressure.

This concept explains the sharpness of a knife and its ability to cut—a sharper knife has a thinner edge, which increases pressure and enables it to cut more easily. Similarly, a dull hypodermic needle hurts more than a sharp one because it has a larger contact area, thus the force is distributed over a larger area reducing pressure and causing more tissue damage and pain during penetration.