What is the propagation speed of blood?

What is the propagation speed of blood?

• A. 1,460 m/s
• B. 1,560 m/s
• C. 1,555 m/s
• D. 4,080 m/s

Answer: (B)

Propagation speed of blood refers to how fast a sound wave travels through blood, which depends on the medium’s compressibility and density. The speed is given by v ≈ sqrt(B/ρ), where B is the bulk modulus and ρ is the density. For blood, with a density around 1060 kg/m^3 and a bulk modulus in the ballpark of a few gigapascals, the result sits around 1,500–1,600 m/s. The widely used reference value is about 1,560 m/s (1.56 km/s), so that number is the best match. The other options are farther from the typical value for a liquid like blood.

Propagation speed of blood refers to how fast a sound wave travels through blood, which depends on the medium’s compressibility and density. The speed is given by v ≈ sqrt(B/ρ), where B is the bulk modulus and ρ is the density. For blood, with a density around 1060 kg/m^3 and a bulk modulus in the ballpark of a few gigapascals, the result sits around 1,500–1,600 m/s. The widely used reference value is about 1,560 m/s (1.56 km/s), so that number is the best match. The other options are farther from the typical value for a liquid like blood.