True or False. Tortuosity is the ratio of the length traveled by a particle in a medium to the shortest straight-line length of the medium. τ= L_0/L

Tortuosity is indeed a measure that describes how convoluted or winding a pathway is compared to the shortest possible route between two points in a medium. It can be expressed as the ratio of the actual path length, which a particle would travel through a porous medium (denoted as L_0), to the straight-line distance (L) between the same two points. The formula τ = L_0/L effectively captures this concept, indicating that as tortuosity increases, the path becomes more complex and indirect.

In the context of tissue engineering and other biological systems, understanding tortuosity is critical, as it influences fluid flow, nutrient transport, and overall functionality of engineered tissues. A lower tortuosity indicates a more direct and efficient pathway, whereas higher tortuosity can suggest challenges in transport processes, which is particularly important for nutrient delivery and waste removal in tissue constructs. Therefore, the statement is correctly identified as true.