SUMMARY
The average power output of a human heart pump can be calculated using the kinetic energy formula KE=1/2mv². In this discussion, it was established that during a heartbeat, 20g of blood is accelerated from 0.20 m/s to 0.34 m/s. For a heart rate of 70 beats per minute, the kinetic energy calculated was 0.196 Joules. To determine the average power, one must relate this kinetic energy to the time taken for the heart to pump the blood.
PREREQUISITES
- Understanding of kinetic energy calculations
- Basic knowledge of human cardiovascular physiology
- Familiarity with units of measurement, specifically Joules and grams
- Concept of power as energy per unit time
NEXT STEPS
- Calculate average power output using the formula Power = Energy/Time
- Explore the relationship between heart rate and cardiac output
- Learn about the physiological implications of heart power output
- Investigate variations in heart pump efficiency under different conditions
USEFUL FOR
Students studying human physiology, biomedical engineers, and anyone interested in cardiovascular mechanics and the efficiency of the human heart.