PhysioEx 9.0 is a lab simulation software that allows students to perform virtual experiments and observe physiological processes in the body. Exercise 6, titled "Cardiovascular Dynamics," is focused on the circulatory system and how it functions to transport blood throughout the body.
In this exercise, students are asked to analyze the effects of blood vessel radius and blood viscosity on blood flow and pressure. They are also asked to investigate the relationship between cardiac output and stroke volume, as well as the effects of changing heart rate on these variables.
To begin the exercise, students are given a simulation of the circulatory system in a healthy young adult. They are asked to measure the blood flow and pressure in the aorta, the main artery that carries oxygenated blood away from the heart. Students can then manipulate variables such as blood vessel radius and blood viscosity to see how these changes affect blood flow and pressure.
As students increase the radius of the blood vessels, they will observe that blood flow increases and blood pressure decreases. This is because a larger radius allows for more blood to flow through the vessel with less resistance, resulting in a decrease in pressure. Similarly, decreasing the radius of the blood vessels will result in a decrease in blood flow and an increase in blood pressure.
Blood viscosity, or the thickness of the blood, also has an effect on blood flow and pressure. Increasing blood viscosity will result in a decrease in blood flow and an increase in blood pressure, while decreasing blood viscosity will have the opposite effect. This is because thicker blood requires more energy to flow through the vessels, resulting in an increase in pressure.
In addition to manipulating blood vessel radius and blood viscosity, students can also investigate the relationship between cardiac output and stroke volume. Cardiac output is the amount of blood pumped by the heart in a given period of time, while stroke volume is the amount of blood pumped by the heart with each beat. As students increase the heart rate, they will observe that cardiac output increases while stroke volume decreases. This is because the heart is able to pump more blood in a shorter amount of time, but it is doing so with smaller individual pumps.
Overall, the PhysioEx 9.0 Exercise 6 provides a valuable learning opportunity for students to understand the complex physiological processes involved in the circulatory system. It allows students to manipulate variables and observe the effects on blood flow and pressure, as well as the relationship between cardiac output and stroke volume. This helps students gain a deeper understanding of how the circulatory system works and how it plays a crucial role in maintaining the health and well-being of the body.