View Full Version : What is the colour of blood
steph0814
Feb 28, 2008, 08:26 AM
My teacher said, in vacuum blood is white... is that true?
templelane
Feb 28, 2008, 09:34 AM
Not unless you are all lobsters! Have a look at your hands do you have fingers or pinchers?
Lobsters have clear/off white blue coloured blood.
Lobster FAQ (http://www.chilipaper.com/FWharf/Lobster/Lobster_FAQ/lobster_faq.htm#10)
In mammals and any other animals the red blood cells give blood its colour. When it is oxygenated you get the 'blood red' colour you see when you cut yourself. When it is not oxygenated (such as if it were in a vacuum) it has a darker purple-red that looks blue under the skin. It isn't clear. The colour and subsequent change is caused by the oxygenation state of the haemoglobin's iron containing heam group.
Plasma which you can see when blood is separated has an off white colour, perhaps they were getting confused with this component of blood.
Where they a biology teacher? If they were I would consider reporting them as they can't go around getting simple stuff wrong. How are you supposed to trust what they say about anything else?
Scottish2008
Feb 29, 2008, 06:50 AM
Not unless you are all lobsters! Have a look at your hands do you have fingers or pinchers?
Lobsters have clear/off white blue coloured blood.
Lobster FAQ (http://www.chilipaper.com/FWharf/Lobster/Lobster_FAQ/lobster_faq.htm#10)
In mammals and any other animals the red blood cells give blood its colour. When it is oxygenated you get the 'blood red' colour you see when you cut yourself. When it is not oxygenated (such as if it were in a vacuum) it has a darker purple-red that looks blue under the skin. It isn't clear. The colour and subsequent change is caused by the oxygenation state of the haemoglobin’s iron containing heam group.
Plasma which you can see when blood is separated has an off white colour, perhaps they were getting confused with this component of blood.
Where they a biology teacher? If they were I would consider reporting them as they can't go around getting simple stuff wrong. How are you supposed to trust what they say about anything else?
WOW I was thinking the same thing. Nice answer.