I always hear stuff about that and that it's only red when it comes out of our body but I don't really know...
Also, does it have anything to do with our veins appearing blue?
2006-09-21 06:46:51 · 17 answers · asked by Jim Jones 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
Deoxygenated blood is a darker shade of red, which can be seen during blood donation and when venous blood samples are taken. However, due to an optical effect caused by the way in which light penetrates through the skin, veins typically appear blue in color. This has led to a common misconception that venous blood is blue before it is exposed to air. Another reason for this misconception is that medical charts always show venous blood as blue in order to distinguish it from arterial blood which is depicted as red on the same chart.
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2006-09-21 06:50:14 · answer #1 · answered by lufen 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oxygenated blood is bright red, while deoxygenated blood is darker red. Arteries carry oxygenated blood away from the heart to supply the body with oxygen, so blood in arties is bright red. Veins carry deoxygenated blood back to the heart for oxygenation, so blood in veins is dark red. However, where you see veins under the surface of your skin, especially in your wrists, they look blue. This is a peculiar effect of light passing through skin, which has led to the common misconception that venal blood is blue. If you cut a vein, the blood becomes exposed to the air and it immediately oxygenates, turning bright red.
2006-09-21 13:50:33 · answer #2 · answered by DavidK93 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
At any given time, about 1/2 of our blood is blue and the other 1/2 is more reddish. This is because the job of blood is to carry oxygen from our lungs to our tissues and carbon dioxide (CO2) from our tissues to our lungs for exhalation. When oxygen binds to hemoglobin (the protein in our blood cells responsible for transporting O2 and CO2) the electron configuration of the protein alters slightly, thus reflecting more of the red colors. When CO2 binds to hemoglobin, the electron configuration of the protein alters in a way that reflects more of the blue colors, so blood will appear blue when there is no oxygen on it. This oxygen deprived blood, or CO2 rich blood, is what our veins carry away from our tissues and towards our lungs. Arteries carry the oxygenated blood from our lungs to our tissues. Now, if we were to get cut, any blood that is NOT carrying oxygen will be exposed to oxygen once it leaves our bodies. That's why our blood is always red when we bleed. Hope this helps.
2006-09-21 13:55:30 · answer #3 · answered by ohmneo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
BLUE BLOOD? Unlike so many other expressions, this one is well documented. It’s a direct translation of the Spanish sangre azul. Many of the oldest and proudest families of Castile used to boast that they were pure bred, having no link with the Moors who had for so long controlled the country, or indeed any other group. As a mark of this, they pointed to their veins, which seemed bluer in colour than those of such foreigners. This was simply because the blue-tinted venous blood showed up more prominently in their lighter skin, but they took it to be a mark of their pure breeding. So the phrase blue blood came to refer to the blood which flowed in the veins of the oldest and most aristocratic families. The phrase was taken over into English in the 1830s
2006-09-21 13:53:39 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The rubbish has to do with the fact that it is blue when it has little or no oxygen associated and red when it has oxygen. It is rare to see blood outside the body without having oxygen all around.
Yes, it has to do with veins being blue.
As an experiment, try cutting yourself in a vacuum or a nitrogen atmosphere. See what color you bleed. Note the different colors if you cut yourself in different places....
2006-09-21 13:50:42 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
when blood is not carrying oxygen (deoxygenated) it appears blue and when you cut yourself you are more likely to damage small veins as these are closer to the surface of the skin therefore when it reaches the surface it becomes red again caused by the oxygen in the atmosphere.
hope this helps.
2006-09-21 13:52:44 · answer #6 · answered by missree 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your blood is always red. It just appears blue through your skin.
2006-09-21 13:54:20 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Blood is never blue, never!!!!! it can be black if you have internal bleeding in your stomach! It is darker red in your veins than your arteries due to less oxygen content! oxygen is carried on your red blood cells and not absorbed from the air. it's nonsense to suggest that blood becomes oxygenated 'on cantact with air
2006-09-21 13:59:44 · answer #8 · answered by pugsley 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Uh, blood is not blue. It is a brighter reddish color when combined with oxygen and a darker reddish color when it's oxygen content is reduced.
Veins appear blue due to absorption of various colors by the skin.
2006-09-21 14:06:19 · answer #9 · answered by OU812 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
once blood hits the air it then turns red the blue blood you see is blood that has spent its oxygen and is headed back to the lungs to pick up more air and become red again
2006-09-21 15:03:38 · answer #10 · answered by jeremy r 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋