Question

A patient’s heart pumps 5.0 L of blood per minute into the aorta, which has a diameter of 1.8 cm. The average force exerted by the heart on the blood is 16 N. What is the average mechanical power output of the heart?

Answer 1

Area of aorta = πr2 =  3.14 * (.09)2 = 2.544 * 10-4 m2

Pressure on the heart = F/A = 16N / area of aorta = 62.876 kPa

Average mechanical output = 62.876 * volume of blood pumped per second

= 62.876 * (.005/60 m^3/s)

= 5.23 kJ

 

 

Average mechanical power output of the heart is 5.2 Kj.

Average mechanical power output of the heart is 5.2 Kj.