Percentage of oxygen carried by the RBC

Options

A. 0.4
B. 1
C. 0.2
D. 0.97

Answer

To determine the percentage of oxygen carried by red blood cells (RBCs), we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understand the Role of Blood**: Blood functions as a transport medium for gases, specifically oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2).

2. **Identify Oxygen Transport Mechanisms**: Oxygen is primarily transported in two forms:
- **Bound to Hemoglobin in RBCs**: Approximately 97% of oxygen is carried by red blood cells, where it binds to hemoglobin.
- **Dissolved in Plasma**: The remaining 3% of oxygen is carried in a dissolved state in the plasma.

3. **Calculate the Percentage of Oxygen Carried by RBCs**: Since we know that 97% of oxygen is carried by RBCs, we can conclude that:
- Percentage of oxygen carried by RBCs = 97%

4. **Convert Percentage to Decimal**: To express this percentage in decimal form:
- 97% = 0.97

5. **Select the Correct Answer**: Based on the options provided:
- a) 0.4
- b) 1
- c) 0.2
- d) 0.97
The correct answer is **d) 0.97**.

### Final Answer:
The percentage of oxygen carried by the RBCs is **0.97**.

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