| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[ A_{aorta} = \pi \times (1\ \text{cm})^2 = \pi\ \text{cm}^2 \] | Calculate the cross-sectional area of the aorta given its radius \(1\ \text{cm}\). |
| 2 | \[ Q = A_{aorta} \times 30\ \frac{\text{cm}}{\text{s}} = 30\pi\ \frac{\text{cm}^3}{\text{s}} \] | Determine the volumetric flow rate in the aorta using the given speed \(30\ \frac{\text{cm}}{\text{s}}\). |
| 3 | \[ Q = A_{cap} \times v_{cap} \] | Apply the continuity equation where the volumetric flow rate \(Q\) in the aorta is equal to that in the capillaries.\(A_{cap}\) is the total cross-sectional area of the capillaries. |
| 4 | \[ v_{cap} = \frac{Q}{A_{cap}} = \frac{30\pi}{2000}\ \frac{\text{cm}}{\text{s}} \] | Solve for the average speed \(v_{cap}\) in the capillaries using the given total capillary area \(2000\ \text{cm}^2\). |
| 5 | \[ v_{cap} = \frac{30\pi}{2000} = \frac{3\pi}{200}\ \frac{\text{cm}}{\text{s}} \] | Simplify the expression by dividing numerator and denominator by 10. |
A Major Upgrade To Phy Is Coming Soon — Stay Tuned
We'll help clarify entire units in one hour or less — guaranteed.
Water flowing in a horizontal pipe speeds up as it goes from a section with a large diameter to a section with a small diameter. Which of the following can explain why the speed of the water increases?

The drawing above shows a spherical reservoir that contains \( 455,000 \) \( \text{kg} \) of water when full. The reservoir is vented to the atmosphere at the top. Assuming the reservoir is full and the diameter of the reservoir is much larger than any of the pipes on the ground.
A Venturi tube has a pressure difference of \( 15\,000 \) \( \text{Pa} \). The entrance radius is \( 3 \) \( \text{cm} \), while the exit radius is \( 1 \) \( \text{cm} \). What are the entrance velocity, exit velocity, and flow rate if the fluid is gasoline \( (\rho = 700 \) \( \text{kg/m}^3 ) \)?
Water circulates throughout a house in a hot water heating system. If the water is pumped at a speed of \( 0.5 \) \( \frac{\text{m}}{\text{s}} \) through a \( 2 \) \( \text{cm} \) diameter pipe in the basement under a pressure of \( 3 \) \( \text{atm} \), what will be the flow speed and pressure in a \( 1.3 \) \( \text{cm} \) diameter pipe on the second floor \( 5 \) \( \text{m} \) above?

A horizontal tube with two vertical T-branches (A and B) is partially submerged in a liquid, with the open ends of the branches exposed to the air. However, the section of the tube above point B is hidden from view and may either be wider or narrower than the section above A.
Air is blown through the horizontal tube, causing the liquid levels in the vertical branches to rise as shown. Based on the observed water levels, which of the following best describes the characteristics of the hidden section of the tube above B?
How large must a heating duct be if air moving \( 3 \ \frac{\text{m}}{\text{s}} \) along it can replenish the air in a room of \( 300 \ \text{m}^3 \) volume every \( 15 \) minutes? Assume the air’s density remains constant.

Water flows from point \( A \) to points \( D \) and \( E \) as shown. Some of the flow parameters are known, as shown in the table. Determine the unknown parameters. Note the diagram above does not show the relative diameters of each section of the pipe.
| Section | Diameter | Flow Rate | Velocity |
|---|---|---|---|
| \( \text{AB} \) | \( 300 \) \( \text{mm} \) | \(\textbf{?}\) | \(\textbf{?}\) |
| \( \text{BC} \) | \( 600 \) \( \text{mm} \) | \(\textbf{?}\) | \( 1.2 \) \( \text{m/s} \) |
| \( \text{CD} \) | \(\textbf{?}\) | \( Q_{CD} = 2Q_{CE} \) \( \text{m}^3/\text{s} \) | \( 1.4 \) \( \text{m/s} \) |
| \( \text{CE} \) | \( 150 \) \( \text{mm} \) | \( Q_{CE} = 0.5Q_{CD} \) \( \text{m}^3/\text{s} \) | \(\textbf{?}\) |
Two points, \( A \) and \( B \), are in a pipe carrying a flowing ideal fluid. Point \( B \) is \( 2.0 \) \( \text{m} \) higher than point \( A \), and the fluid speed at \( B \) is twice the speed at \( A \). If the pressure at \( A \) is \( P_A \), which of the following expressions correctly represents the pressure at \( B \) \( (P_B) \)?
An ideal fluid flows through a pipe with radius \( Q \) and flow speed \( V \). If the pipe splits up into three separate paths, each with radius \( \frac{Q}{2} \), what is the flow speed through each of the paths?
A fluid flows through the two sections of a cylindrical pipe. The narrow section of the pipe has radius \( R \) and the wide section has radius \( 2R \). What is the ratio of the fluid’s speed in the wide section of pipe to its speed in the narrow section of pipe, \( \dfrac{v_{\text{wide}}}{v_{\text{narrow}}} \)?
\(\frac{3\pi}{200}\ \text{cm/s} = \frac{\pi}{66.\overline{6}}\ \text{cm/s} \approx 0.0471\ \text{cm/s}\)
By continuing you (1) agree to our Terms of Use and Terms of Sale and (2) consent to sharing your IP and browser information used by this site’s security protocols as outlined in our Privacy Policy.
| Kinematics | Forces |
|---|---|
| \(\Delta x = v_i t + \frac{1}{2} at^2\) | \(F = ma\) |
| \(v = v_i + at\) | \(F_g = \frac{G m_1 m_2}{r^2}\) |
| \(v^2 = v_i^2 + 2a \Delta x\) | \(f = \mu N\) |
| \(\Delta x = \frac{v_i + v}{2} t\) | \(F_s =-kx\) |
| \(v^2 = v_f^2 \,-\, 2a \Delta x\) |
| Circular Motion | Energy |
|---|---|
| \(F_c = \frac{mv^2}{r}\) | \(KE = \frac{1}{2} mv^2\) |
| \(a_c = \frac{v^2}{r}\) | \(PE = mgh\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{r}{g}}\) | \(KE_i + PE_i = KE_f + PE_f\) |
| \(W = Fd \cos\theta\) |
| Momentum | Torque and Rotations |
|---|---|
| \(p = mv\) | \(\tau = r \cdot F \cdot \sin(\theta)\) |
| \(J = \Delta p\) | \(I = \sum mr^2\) |
| \(p_i = p_f\) | \(L = I \cdot \omega\) |
| Simple Harmonic Motion | Fluids |
|---|---|
| \(F = -kx\) | \(P = \frac{F}{A}\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{g}}\) | \(P_{\text{total}} = P_{\text{atm}} + \rho gh\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{k}}\) | \(Q = Av\) |
| \(x(t) = A \cos(\omega t + \phi)\) | \(F_b = \rho V g\) |
| \(a = -\omega^2 x\) | \(A_1v_1 = A_2v_2\) |
| Constant | Description |
|---|---|
| [katex]g[/katex] | Acceleration due to gravity, typically [katex]9.8 , \text{m/s}^2[/katex] on Earth’s surface |
| [katex]G[/katex] | Universal Gravitational Constant, [katex]6.674 \times 10^{-11} , \text{N} \cdot \text{m}^2/\text{kg}^2[/katex] |
| [katex]\mu_k[/katex] and [katex]\mu_s[/katex] | Coefficients of kinetic ([katex]\mu_k[/katex]) and static ([katex]\mu_s[/katex]) friction, dimensionless. Static friction ([katex]\mu_s[/katex]) is usually greater than kinetic friction ([katex]\mu_k[/katex]) as it resists the start of motion. |
| [katex]k[/katex] | Spring constant, in [katex]\text{N/m}[/katex] |
| [katex] M_E = 5.972 \times 10^{24} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Earth |
| [katex] M_M = 7.348 \times 10^{22} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Moon |
| [katex] M_M = 1.989 \times 10^{30} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Sun |
| Variable | SI Unit |
|---|---|
| [katex]s[/katex] (Displacement) | [katex]\text{meters (m)}[/katex] |
| [katex]v[/katex] (Velocity) | [katex]\text{meters per second (m/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]a[/katex] (Acceleration) | [katex]\text{meters per second squared (m/s}^2\text{)}[/katex] |
| [katex]t[/katex] (Time) | [katex]\text{seconds (s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]m[/katex] (Mass) | [katex]\text{kilograms (kg)}[/katex] |
| Variable | Derived SI Unit |
|---|---|
| [katex]F[/katex] (Force) | [katex]\text{newtons (N)}[/katex] |
| [katex]E[/katex], [katex]PE[/katex], [katex]KE[/katex] (Energy, Potential Energy, Kinetic Energy) | [katex]\text{joules (J)}[/katex] |
| [katex]P[/katex] (Power) | [katex]\text{watts (W)}[/katex] |
| [katex]p[/katex] (Momentum) | [katex]\text{kilogram meters per second (kgm/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]\omega[/katex] (Angular Velocity) | [katex]\text{radians per second (rad/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]\tau[/katex] (Torque) | [katex]\text{newton meters (Nm)}[/katex] |
| [katex]I[/katex] (Moment of Inertia) | [katex]\text{kilogram meter squared (kgm}^2\text{)}[/katex] |
| [katex]f[/katex] (Frequency) | [katex]\text{hertz (Hz)}[/katex] |
Metric Prefixes
Example of using unit analysis: Convert 5 kilometers to millimeters.
Start with the given measurement: [katex]\text{5 km}[/katex]
Use the conversion factors for kilometers to meters and meters to millimeters: [katex]\text{5 km} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{m}}{1 \, \text{km}} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{mm}}{1 \, \text{m}}[/katex]
Perform the multiplication: [katex]\text{5 km} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{m}}{1 \, \text{km}} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{mm}}{1 \, \text{m}} = 5 \times 10^3 \times 10^3 \, \text{mm}[/katex]
Simplify to get the final answer: [katex]\boxed{5 \times 10^6 \, \text{mm}}[/katex]
Prefix | Symbol | Power of Ten | Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
Pico- | p | [katex]10^{-12}[/katex] | 0.000000000001 |
Nano- | n | [katex]10^{-9}[/katex] | 0.000000001 |
Micro- | µ | [katex]10^{-6}[/katex] | 0.000001 |
Milli- | m | [katex]10^{-3}[/katex] | 0.001 |
Centi- | c | [katex]10^{-2}[/katex] | 0.01 |
Deci- | d | [katex]10^{-1}[/katex] | 0.1 |
(Base unit) | – | [katex]10^{0}[/katex] | 1 |
Deca- or Deka- | da | [katex]10^{1}[/katex] | 10 |
Hecto- | h | [katex]10^{2}[/katex] | 100 |
Kilo- | k | [katex]10^{3}[/katex] | 1,000 |
Mega- | M | [katex]10^{6}[/katex] | 1,000,000 |
Giga- | G | [katex]10^{9}[/katex] | 1,000,000,000 |
Tera- | T | [katex]10^{12}[/katex] | 1,000,000,000,000 |
One price to unlock most advanced version of Phy across all our tools.
per month
Billed Monthly. Cancel Anytime.
We crafted THE Ultimate A.P Physics 1 Program so you can learn faster and score higher.
Try our free calculator to see what you need to get a 5 on the 2026 AP Physics 1 exam.
A quick explanation
Credits are used to grade your FRQs and GQs. Pro users get unlimited credits.
Submitting counts as 1 attempt.
Viewing answers or explanations count as a failed attempts.
Phy gives partial credit if needed
MCQs and GQs are are 1 point each. FRQs will state points for each part.
Phy customizes problem explanations based on what you struggle with. Just hit the explanation button to see.
Understand you mistakes quicker.
Phy automatically provides feedback so you can improve your responses.
10 Free Credits To Get You Started
By continuing you agree to nerd-notes.com Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and our usage of user data.
Feeling uneasy about your next physics test? We'll boost your grade in 3 lessons or less—guaranteed
NEW! PHY AI accurately solves all questions
🔥 Get up to 30% off Elite Physics Tutoring
🧠 NEW! Learn Physics From Scratch Self Paced Course
🎯 Need exam style practice questions?