B2 : Components of the Blood

Question 1

What are the 4 main components of blood

Answer 1

Red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma

Question 2

What are some products found in plasma

Answer 2

Dissolved substances like glucose, urea and carbon dioxide

Question 3

What are red blood cells and their adaptations

Answer 3

They carry oxygen from air into our lungs to our respiring cells,
they are biconcave disks which increase surface area to volume ratio increasing diffusion.
They are packed with haemoglobin which binds to oxygen
They have no nucleus which makes more space for haemoglobin

Question 4

What are white blood cells

Answer 4

WBC form part of the immune system, some WBC (lymphocytes) produce antibodies whilst others produce antitoxins and others (phagocytes) engulf and digest invading micro-organisms

Question 5

What are platelets

Answer 5

Small fragments of cells without a nucleus, they are involved in clotting blood.
Blood clotting is a series of enzyme-controlled reactions that result in converting fibrinogen into fibrin. This forms fibers that traps platelets and RBC formic a scab