Home
Class 11
BIOLOGY
People living at sea level have around 5...

People living at sea level have around `5` million RBC per cubic millimetre of their blood whereas those living at an altitude of `5400` metres have around `8` million. This is because at high altitude.

A

people eat more nutritive food, therefore more RBCs are formed

B

people get pollution-free air to breathe and more oxygen is available

C

atmospheric `O_(2)` level is less and hence more `RBCs` are needed to abosorb the required amount of `O_(2)` to survive

D

there is more UV radiation which enhances RBC production.

Text Solution

AI Generated Solution

The correct Answer is:
### Step-by-Step Solution: 1. **Understanding RBC Count**: Red Blood Cells (RBCs) are crucial for transporting oxygen in the blood. The normal count at sea level is about 5 million RBCs per cubic millimetre. 2. **Altitude Effect**: At high altitudes, such as 5400 meters, the atmospheric pressure decreases, leading to a lower density of air. This means that there is less oxygen available in the air. 3. **Body's Adaptation**: To compensate for the reduced oxygen availability at high altitudes, the body increases the production of RBCs. This is a physiological adaptation to ensure that enough oxygen can be transported to tissues and organs. 4. **RBC Count at High Altitude**: As a result of this adaptation, people living at high altitudes have a higher RBC count, approximately 8 million per cubic millimetre, compared to those at sea level. 5. **Conclusion**: The increase in RBC count in individuals living at high altitudes is primarily due to the lower atmospheric oxygen levels, which necessitate more RBCs to absorb the required amount of oxygen for survival. ### Final Answer: The reason people living at high altitudes have more RBCs is that atmospheric O2 levels are less, and hence more RBCs are needed to absorb the required amount of O2 to survive. ---

### Step-by-Step Solution: 1. **Understanding RBC Count**: Red Blood Cells (RBCs) are crucial for transporting oxygen in the blood. The normal count at sea level is about 5 million RBCs per cubic millimetre. 2. **Altitude Effect**: At high altitudes, such as 5400 meters, the atmospheric pressure decreases, leading to a lower density of air. This means that there is less oxygen available in the air. 3. **Body's Adaptation**: To compensate for the reduced oxygen availability at high altitudes, the body increases the production of RBCs. This is a physiological adaptation to ensure that enough oxygen can be transported to tissues and organs. ...
Promotional Banner

Topper's Solved these Questions

  • BREATHING AND EXCHANGE OF GASES

    NCERT FINGERTIPS ENGLISH|Exercise Higher Order Thinking|12 Videos
  • BREATHING AND EXCHANGE OF GASES

    NCERT FINGERTIPS ENGLISH|Exercise Exemplar Problems|13 Videos
  • BODY FLUIDS AND CIRCULATION

    NCERT FINGERTIPS ENGLISH|Exercise Body Fluids And Circulation|151 Videos
  • CELL - THE UNIT OF LIFE

    NCERT FINGERTIPS ENGLISH|Exercise Cell - The Unit Of Life|159 Videos

Similar Questions

Explore conceptually related problems

Ravi, who lived at sea level, had around 5 million RBCs per cubic mm of his blood. Later , when he lived at an altitude of 18000 ft, showed around 8 million RBCs per cubic mm of blood. This is an adaption because

Low concentration of oxygen in the blood ndtissues of people living at high altitude is due to…….

Low concentration of oxygen in the blood ndtissues of people living at high altitude is due to…….

Why do people living at higher altitudes have higher lung capacity and more red blood corpuscles?

In man , the number of R.B.C. per cubic mm of blood is (a) 1 to 3 millions (b) 5 to 5.4 millions (c) Less than one milliion but more than 50 thousand (d) Less than 50 thousand

Assertion : At higher peaks of mountains, people suffer from high altitude sickness (sluggish feeling, breathlessness etc.) due to lesser oxygen intake at each breather Reason : Air at sea level is dense because it is compressed by the mass of the air above it. The atmospheric pressure at higher peaks of mountains is lower causing the air at those heights to be much less dense than at sea level.

NCERT FINGERTIPS ENGLISH-BREATHING AND EXCHANGE OF GASES-Breathing And Exchange Of Gases
  1. The enzyme that increases the reaction rate between CO(2) and H(2)O i...

    Text Solution

    |

  2. Which of the following equations is correct ?

    Text Solution

    |

  3. People living at sea level have around 5 million RBC per cubic millime...

    Text Solution

    |

  4. During CO(2) transport, HCO(3)^(-) diffuses from erythrocytes to plas...

    Text Solution

    |

  5. Identify the correct statement with reference to transport of respirat...

    Text Solution

    |

  6. Which of the following is ture for CO(2) concentration ?

    Text Solution

    |

  7. In humans which of the following is not a step in respiration?

    Text Solution

    |

  8. Although much CO(2) is carried in blood, yet blood does not become aci...

    Text Solution

    |

  9. Haldane effect plays more important role in promoting carbon dioxide t...

    Text Solution

    |

  10. During rest, the metabolic needs of the body are at their minimum. Whi...

    Text Solution

    |

  11. Match column I with column II and select the correct option from the g...

    Text Solution

    |

  12. Pneumotaxic center which can moderate the functions of the respiratory...

    Text Solution

    |

  13. Match column I with column II an select the correct option from the co...

    Text Solution

    |

  14. Chemosensitive area of respiratory centre in medulla is affected by

    Text Solution

    |

  15. Fill up the blanks in the following paragraph by selecting the correct...

    Text Solution

    |

  16. Rate of breathing is controlled mainly by

    Text Solution

    |

  17. The respiratory centre in the brain is stimulate by

    Text Solution

    |

  18. Complete the following sentence by selecting the correct option. Rec...

    Text Solution

    |

  19. Complete the following sentence by selecting the correct option. the...

    Text Solution

    |

  20. When CO(2) concentration in blood increases breathing becomes

    Text Solution

    |