The discussion revolves around the application of Poiseuille's law in the context of fluid flow, particularly focusing on the friction forces involved in laminar flow through a conduit, such as blood flow in vessels.
The discussion is active, with participants raising questions about the dynamics of flow and friction forces. Some have provided insights into the equilibrium conditions that arise from the interplay of pressure and friction, while others are considering the complexities introduced by the non-Newtonian nature of blood.
There is mention of specific parameters such as pressure difference, vessel length, radius, and fluid viscosity, which are relevant to applying Poiseuille's equation. The discussion also reflects on the assumptions made in standard physics teachings regarding fluid mechanics in biological contexts.
An equilibrium will be attained.notorious said:If the friction force created is smaller than the pressure difference in the vessel, shouldn't the blood accelerate? Or if the friction force is large, shouldn't the blood speed gradually decrease?
It is pretty standard in physics for biology courses to teach all the fluid mechanics as if it applies perfectly to veins.erobz said:Flow problems with blood would be a challenge? Blood is Non-Newtonian - Shear Thinning. I've never tried to do any calculations with it though, so maybe I'm missing boat.