A huge intestinal parasitic roundworm called Ascaris maintainsinternal pressures 0.3 atm above the atmospheric pressure! Consider a cylindrical worm2 cm long and 0.2 cm in diameter, and essentially water.
i) A worm at constant temperature that is initially flaccid (atequal pressure with the environment)becomes turgid (at fullpressure). What is the change in Gibbs Free Energy?
ii) The wormâs high pressure makes eating challenging. Thewormâs digestive tract has aone-way valve to prevent vomiting. Whatis the force on a circular valve 0.02 cm in diameter?
iii) The wormâs high pressure produces explosive defecation intoair. The expulsion of a volumeof feces at a pressure of 0.3atmcreates a pressure-volume work that shoots the feces upward.To whatheight will the feces rise? (This has actually been measured!) Youmay assume thatworm feces are essentially water and that theprocess is isothermal.
