To calculate the flow rate of blood through a capillary, we can use the formula for flow rate in a cylindrical tube:
Q = π * r^2 * v
Where:
Q = Flow rate
r = Radius of the capillary (diameter = 2 * radius)
v = Average speed of the blood flow
Given:
Diameter of the capillary = 4.0 x 10^(-4) cm
Average speed of blood in the capillary = 3.0 x 10^(-2) cm/s
First, we need to calculate the radius of the capillary:
Radius, r = Diameter / 2
r = (4.0 x 10^(-4) cm) / 2
r = 2.0 x 10^(-4) cm
Now, we can substitute the values into the formula for flow rate:
Q = π * (2.0 x 10^(-4) cm)^2 * (3.0 x 10^(-2) cm/s)
Q = π * (4.0 x 10^(-8) cm^2) * (3.0 x 10^(-2) cm/s)
Q = 12π x 10^(-10) cm^3/s
Q ≈ 37.7 x 10^(-10) cm^3/s
Therefore, the flow rate of blood through the capillary is approximately 37.7 x 10^(-10) cubic centimeters per second.