CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF BLOOD - Blood consists of cells which are suspended in a liquid. Three layers are visible in centrifuged blood. The straw-colored liquid portion is called plasma. A thin cream-colored layer, called the buffy coat, consists of white blood cells and platelets. The red blood cells form the heavy bottom portion of the separated mixture. Plasma is about 92% water, with plasma proteins as the most abundant solutes. The primary blood gasses are oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen.

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Chemical Composition of Blood

What Is the Chemical Composition of Blood?

by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. 

Blood is slightly more dense and approximately 3-4 times more viscous than water.

Blood consists of cells which are suspended in a liquid.

As with other suspensions, the components of blood can be separated by filtration, however, the most common method of separating blood is to centrifuge (spin) it.

Three layers are visible in centrifuged blood.

The straw-colored liquid portion, called plasma, forms at the top (~55%).

A thin cream-colored layer, called the buffy coat, forms below the plasma. The buffy coat consists of white blood cells and platelets.

The red blood cells form the heavy bottom portion of the separated mixture (~45%).

What Is the Volume of Blood?

Blood volume is variable but tends to be about 8% of body weight.

Factors such as body size, the amount of adipose tissue, and electrolyte concentrations all affect volume. The average adult has about 5 liters of blood.

What Is the Composition of Blood?

Blood consists of cellular material (99% red blood cells, with white blood cells and platelets making up the remainder), water, amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, hormones, vitamins, electrolytes, dissolved gasses, and cellular wastes.

Each red blood cell is about 1/3 hemoglobin, by volume.

Plasma is about 92% water, with plasma proteins as the most abundant solutes.

The main plasma protein groups are albumins, globulins, and fibrinogens.

The primary blood gasses are oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen.

Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville - Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Science educator with experience teaching chemistry, biology, astronomy, and physics at the high school, college, and graduate levels.

ThoughtCo and About Education chemistry expert since 2001.

Widely-published graphic artist, responsible for printable periodic tables and other illustrations used in science.

Experience

Anne Helmenstine, Ph.D. has covered chemistry for ThoughtCo and About Education since 2001, and other sciences since 2013. She taught chemistry, biology, astronomy, and physics at the high school, college, and graduate levels. She has worked as a research scientist and also abstracting and indexing diverse scientific literature for the Department of Energy.

In addition to her work as a science writer, Dr. Helmenstine currently serves as a scientific consultant, specializing in problems requiring an interdisciplinary approach. Previously, she worked as a research scientist and college professor. 

Education

Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and a B.A. in physics and mathematics with a minor in chemistry from Hastings College. In her doctoral work, Dr. Helmenstine developed ultra-sensitive chemical detection and medical diagnostic tests.

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https://www.thoughtco.com/volume-chemical-composition-of-blood-601962