Cardiac output is calculated as heart rate multiplied by stroke volume.

Study the AQA A Level PE Test for The Cardiovascular System. Prepare with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with explanations. Get ready for exam success!

Multiple Choice

Cardiac output is calculated as heart rate multiplied by stroke volume.

Explanation:
Cardiac output is the volume of blood the heart pumps each minute. It depends on two factors: how fast the heart beats (heart rate) and how much blood is ejected with each beat (stroke volume). Since you’re measuring volume per minute, you multiply the rate (beats per minute) by the amount per beat (millilitres per beat). That gives CO in millilitres per minute (or litres per minute when scaled). So, CO = heart rate × stroke volume. For example, if heart rate is 70 beats per minute and stroke volume is 70 mL per beat, CO = 70 × 70 = 4900 mL/min, about 4.9 L/min. Why the other approaches don’t fit: adding heart rate and stroke volume would mix two different quantities and units, not produce a flow. Subtracting would also fail to give a rate. Including diastolic pressure isn’t part of the calculation either, as it relates to pressure in the arteries, not the amount of blood pumped per minute.

Cardiac output is the volume of blood the heart pumps each minute. It depends on two factors: how fast the heart beats (heart rate) and how much blood is ejected with each beat (stroke volume). Since you’re measuring volume per minute, you multiply the rate (beats per minute) by the amount per beat (millilitres per beat). That gives CO in millilitres per minute (or litres per minute when scaled).

So, CO = heart rate × stroke volume. For example, if heart rate is 70 beats per minute and stroke volume is 70 mL per beat, CO = 70 × 70 = 4900 mL/min, about 4.9 L/min.

Why the other approaches don’t fit: adding heart rate and stroke volume would mix two different quantities and units, not produce a flow. Subtracting would also fail to give a rate. Including diastolic pressure isn’t part of the calculation either, as it relates to pressure in the arteries, not the amount of blood pumped per minute.

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