BLOOD

• Blood - transports nutrients, wastes, hormones, and body heat from one place to another
• Components of blood:

  • Formed elements (living cells)
  • Plasma (nonliving fluid matrix)
• When blood is separated:

  • Plasma (55% of blood)
  • Buffy coat (less than 1% of blood, contains leukocytes and platelets)
  • Erythrocytes (45% of blood, also known as hematocrit)
• Notable characteristics of blood:

  • Oxygen-rich blood is scarlet red
  • Oxygen-poor blood is dull red or purple
  • Blood pH is slightly alkaline, between 7.35 and 7.45
  • Blood temperature is slightly higher than body temperature, at 38°C or 100.4°F
  • Makes up 8% of body weight, 5-6 L of blood in a healthy adult