Blood flow is _______.

Blood flow is _______.

• A. Inversely proportional to the pressure gradient
• B. Directly proportional to the pressure gradient
• C. Independent of the pressure gradient
• D. Proportional to the square of the pressure gradient

Answer: (B)

Blood flow is driven by the pressure difference across a vessel. In simple hemodynamics, flow is proportional to that pressure gradient when resistance is held constant: F = ΔP / R. If the pressure difference increases while resistance stays the same, flow increases linearly. So the correct idea is that blood flow is directly proportional to the pressure gradient. The other options would imply the flow behaves differently: inverse would mean more pressure gives less flow, independence would ignore the driving force, and a square relationship would be nonlinear and not the basic driving rule. In reality, resistance can change, but the direct link between flow and the pressure gradient (with constant resistance) is the core relationship.

Blood flow is driven by the pressure difference across a vessel. In simple hemodynamics, flow is proportional to that pressure gradient when resistance is held constant: F = ΔP / R. If the pressure difference increases while resistance stays the same, flow increases linearly. So the correct idea is that blood flow is directly proportional to the pressure gradient. The other options would imply the flow behaves differently: inverse would mean more pressure gives less flow, independence would ignore the driving force, and a square relationship would be nonlinear and not the basic driving rule. In reality, resistance can change, but the direct link between flow and the pressure gradient (with constant resistance) is the core relationship.