why does blood turn red as it circulates through the body?

Answer 1

It actually turns blue, except when it goes through the lungs where the hemoglobin becomes loaded with oxygen. Then it becomes red again.

Answer 2

As Blood is oxygenated it turns bright red, as the cells take up the Oxygen this depletes the oxygen in the blood and it slowley turns from bright Red to dark red and eventually back to blue, blue is the real colour of blood without oxygen, if you look at the veins in your arms you will notice that they are blue and not red, these veins are carrying the blood back to the heart ready to be re-oxyginated and start the process again. If you cut yourself the blood will always come out red because when the blood hits the Air it soaks up the oxygen again. I hope this helps Shaun UK

Answer 3

blood is always red, contrary to popular belief that it is blue until it is exposed to air, when it leaves the heart, it is bright red from the higher oxygen level, then after it circulates through the body and on it's way back to the heart, the oxygen has been used by the body and the blood is a darker red
it is red due to the hemoglobin in the red blood cells

Answer 4

Blood turns red because of the oxygen that runs in our body. Everytime we breath, we bring in more oxygen, causing the blood to circulate. An example is a dead person. Since they aren't breathing, there is no more oxygen in their blood. With oxygen, it is red. Without the red blood, the person's skin will appear pale. Basically, it's because of oxygen and iron (Fe).

Answer 5

Blood is bright red or scarlet when it has been oxygenated in the lungs and passes into the arteries; it becomes bluish red when it has given up its oxygen to nourish the tissues of the body and is returning to the lungs through the veins and the tiny vessels called capillaries.

Answer 6

Blood turns red when it passes through the lungs and becomes oxygenated. We always see blood as red because at the point we can see it, it's outside the body, and therefore oxygenated.

Answer 7

iron + oxygen = red. Blood is never blue. The only creatures ever to have blue blood are the aliens on Halo. Human blood is always red. it only looks blueish thru your skin because of the pigments in your skin. I am amazed and bewildered at how many people actually think there is blue blood in their veins!

Answer 8

blood is red due to the red blood cells and only changes to a brighter red due to the red blood cells taking on oxygen in the lungs

these cells give off the oxygen as they pass around the body and take on carbon dioxide to become the darker red

there is no such thing as blue blood when you see it on diagrams it is simply to distinguish between oxgenated and deoxygenated blood and the 2 parts of the circulatory system

Answer 9

That's kind of scary that there is a nurse on here that thinks blood is blue until it hits the air. Blood is always red its the pigmentation of your skin that makes it look blue. its the hemaglobin and iron that makes it red.

Answer 10

Blood is red because of oxygen

Answer 11

Because blood is red. It doesn't "turn" red. Most of your blood cells are red blood cells (not white blood cells). They have hemoglobin and iron which causes the cell to be red. The lower your hemoglobin/iron content, the duller your red blood cells will be. The higher your hemoglobin/iron content, the brighter red your blood cells will be.