Question

Blood contains positive and negative ions and thus is a conductor. A blood vessel, therefore, can be viewed as an electrical wire. We can even picture the flowing blood as a series of parallel conducting slabs whose thickness is the diameter 5.12 mm of the vessel moving with speed . (See in the following figure)

A) If the blood vessel is placed in a magnetic field B perpendicular to the vessel, as in the figure, show that the motional potential difference induced across it is E=υBd.

B) If you expect that the blood will be flowing at 14.7 cm/s for a vessel 5.12 mm in diameter, what strength of magnetic field will you need to produce a potential difference of 1.00 mV ?

Express your answer with the appropriate units.

C) Show that the volume rate of flow (R) of the blood is equal to R=πEd/4B. (Note: Although the method developed here is useful in measuring the rate of blood flow in a vessel, it is limited to use in surgery because measurement of the potential E must be made directly across the vessel.)

Answer 1