You Can Expect Children to Have Lower Blood Pressures Than

Question

You can expect children to have lower blood pressures than adults on average because
A) they have fewer blood vessels.
B) their hearts beat less forcefully.
C) their capillaries are leakier.
D) their blood is less viscous.
E) their blood vessel length is less.

Accepted Answer

Children have lower blood pressures than adults primarily because their blood vessel length is less. Blood pressure is influenced by the resistance blood faces as it flows through vessels. Shorter vessel length in children contributes to lower resistance and thus lower blood pressure compared to adults.