[Concepts of basic physics that every cardiovascular surgeon should know: part I - mechanics of fluids]

Marcos Aurélio Barboza de Oliveira1, Fernanda Tomé Alves, Marcos Vinícius Pinto e Silva

  • 1Doutorando da Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto. m_aurelio@sbccv.org.br

Related Concept Videos

Fluid Pressure01:14

Fluid Pressure

In mechanical engineering, fluid pressure plays a critical role in designing systems that utilize liquid flow, such as hydraulic systems, pumps, and valves. When designing these systems, engineers must ensure they can withstand the forces created by fluid pressure to avoid damage or failure.
According to Pascal's law, a fluid at rest will generate equal pressure in all directions. This pressure is measured as a force per unit area, and its magnitude depends on the fluid's specific weight or...
Overview of the Cardiovascular System01:14

Overview of the Cardiovascular System

The cardiovascular system is a vital transportation system in the body. It comprises the heart and blood vessels and facilitates the exchange of gases, nutrients, and waste products.
Heart
The heart is the central pump of the cardiovascular system that circulates blood throughout the body. It comprises two atria receiving the blood and two ventricles pumping blood out of the heart. Their rhythmic contractions, called heartbeats, ensure that blood flow remains continuous.
Blood Vessels
Blood...
Pressure of Fluids01:14

Pressure of Fluids

There are many examples of pressure in fluids in everyday life, such as in relation to blood (high or low blood pressure) and in relation to weather (high- and low-pressure weather systems). A given force can have a significantly different effect, depending on the area over which the force is exerted. For instance, a force applied to an area of 1 mm2 has a pressure that is 100 times greater than the same force applied to an area of 1 cm2. That's why a sharp needle is able to poke through skin...
Bernoulli's Principle01:01

Bernoulli's Principle

Bernoulli's equation incorporates how fluid pressure changes across a static, incompressible fluid by equating the kinetic energy contribution to zero. It is also helpful in analyzing horizontal flows in which the gravitational energy density is constant throughout. The latter equation is so useful that it is called Bernoulli's principle. According to Bernoulli's principle, the fluid pressure drops if the speed increases and vice versa.
Bernoulli's principle has several applications. It is used...
Introduction to Types of Flows01:23

Introduction to Types of Flows

Fluid flows are categorized by dimensionality and behavior, with one-dimensional flow being the simplest form, where properties like velocity and pressure change only along a single axis. Water moving through straight pipes exemplifies this flow type, as variations in other directions are minimal. One-dimensional analysis helps simplify understanding such flows, focusing solely on changes along the pipe's length.
Two-dimensional flow involves changes in both length and height, as seen in air...
Laminar and Turbulent Flow01:07

Laminar and Turbulent Flow

Fluid dynamics is the study of fluids in motion. Velocity vectors are often used to illustrate fluid motion in applications like meteorology. For example, wind—the fluid motion of air in the atmosphere—can be represented by vectors indicating the speed and direction of the wind at any given point on a map. Another method for representing fluid motion is a streamline. A streamline represents the path of a small volume of fluid as it flows. When the flow pattern changes with time, the streamlines...