Physics $131$

Online Homework Problem: Week $13$

Problem $1.($Effects of tobacco$)$

Smoking tobacco is bad for your circulatory

health. In an attempt to maintain the blood$$s

capacity to deliver oxygen, the body increases its

red blood cell production, and this increases the

viscosity of the blood. In addition, nicotine from

tobacco causes arteries to constrict. For a

nonsmoker, with blood viscosity of

$2\mathrm{.}5103$ Pa $$ s$,$ normal blood flow requires a

pressure difference of $8\mathrm{.}0$ mm Hg between the

two ends of a certain artery. If this person were to smoke regularly, their blood viscosity would

increase to $2\mathrm{.}8103$ Pa $$ s$,$ and the diameter of their artery would constrict by $10\%.$

A$.$ Assuming that the pressure difference between the two ends of the artery does NOT

change $($not necessarily a good assumption$),$ how would the blood flow be affected by the

increase in viscosity of the blood and the decrease in the diameter of the artery? Select all

that apply.

a$.$ The change in viscosity would decrease the blood flow.

b$.$ The change in viscosity would increase the blood flow.

c$.$ The change in viscosity would not change the blood flow.

d$.$ The change in diameter would decrease the blood