The Heart as a Pump

Pressure times flow

An interactive lesson with 6 steps, about 5 minutes: you predict, drag and solve, with instant feedback on every answer. It runs in your browser and needs JavaScript.

What you’ll learn

• Pump power = pressure × flow rate.
• The resting heart puts out only about 1 W of mechanical power.
• Blood pressure varies with height by $\rho g h$.

Steps

1. Blood pressure
2. Heart power
3. One beat
4. Measuring on the arm
5. Pressure from head to toe
6. A giraffe’s neck