The table below shows the average speed of blood flow in three different blood vessels of a human.
| Blood vessel | Speed of blood flow (cm⋅s−1)(\text{cm}\cdot\text{s}^{-1})(cm⋅s−1) |
|---|---|
| Aorta | 36.0 |
| Capillary | 0.06 |
| Vena cava | 12.0 |
Blood travels a distance of 54 cm through the aorta from the heart to the femoral artery. Calculate the time taken, in seconds, for blood to flow this distance. Show your working.
Explain how the speed of blood flow in the capillary is highly adapted to facilitate efficient exchange of substances between the blood and the tissues.
