Which term refers to a liquid's resistance to flow?

Which term refers to a liquid's resistance to flow?

• A. Viscosity
• B. Plasma
• C. Peripheral resistance
• D. Tissue perfusion

Answer: (A)

Viscosity is the measurement of a liquid’s resistance to flow, due to internal friction between its molecules. The thicker a liquid, the higher its viscosity, and the slower it will flow—honey resists movement more than water. In blood, higher viscosity means it’s harder for the liquid to move through vessels, which can affect how readily tissues receive perfusion. Plasma is a component of blood, not the property describing flow resistance; peripheral resistance refers to the overall resistance in the systemic circulation, and tissue perfusion is the resulting flow to tissues, not the liquid’s intrinsic resistance to flow.

Viscosity is the measurement of a liquid’s resistance to flow, due to internal friction between its molecules. The thicker a liquid, the higher its viscosity, and the slower it will flow—honey resists movement more than water. In blood, higher viscosity means it’s harder for the liquid to move through vessels, which can affect how readily tissues receive perfusion. Plasma is a component of blood, not the property describing flow resistance; peripheral resistance refers to the overall resistance in the systemic circulation, and tissue perfusion is the resulting flow to tissues, not the liquid’s intrinsic resistance to flow.