Multiple Choice
Suppose an 80 kg (176 lb) person has 5.5 L of blood (1,060 kg/m3 ) in their body. How much of this person's total mass consists of blood? What percentage of the person's total mass is blood?
19. Fluid Mechanics
Density
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Different materials in the body have different densities, and therefore will tend to make a person float or sink to different extents. Which bodily material is most buoyant (helps you stay afloat the most)?
A
Water
B
Blood
C
Muscle
D
Bone
E
Fat
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the concept of buoyancy: Buoyancy is the ability of an object to float in a fluid, which is determined by the object's density relative to the fluid's density. An object will float if its density is less than the fluid's density.
Identify the densities of the materials listed: To determine which bodily material is most buoyant, compare the densities of water, blood, muscle, bone, and fat. The material with the lowest density will be the most buoyant.
Consider the density of fat: Fat has a lower density compared to other bodily materials like muscle and bone. This lower density means fat is more buoyant, as it is less dense than water.
Compare fat to other materials: While blood and muscle have densities closer to water, bone is denser than water. Fat, being less dense than water, will float more easily.
Conclude that fat is the most buoyant: Since fat has the lowest density among the listed materials, it is the most buoyant and helps a person stay afloat the most.
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