Biomedical Research Investigating Blood printable pdf download

Scenario 7: Biomedical Research

Name _____________________________________________________ Date __________________

Project 7.4 Topic: Investigating Blood

Introduction

If you worked in one of the support services careers with a biomedical assignment, you would

routinely be working with information related to human blood. You will complete this project

to investigate blood in three sections to help you understand more about blood. In the first

section, you will look at the composition of blood. The second will focus on blood types, and

the third will give you an opportunity to consider the issue of donating blood.

Section 1: Composition of Blood

Materials Needed for Section 1

• Scale

• Calculator

• Buckets

• Measuring cups (metric scale)

• Water

• Red food coloring

• Protractor

Blood: The River of Life

Pulsing through your veins and arteries is a red liquid referred to as blood. This blood has

four basic components: red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma, and platelets. Each one of

the components has a very important purpose that keeps you alive and healthy.Read more

about how these blood cells are made at

_components.htm.

In this section, you will explore the purpose of each of these four components and identify

which are the most and least abundant. You will also calculate approximately how much

blood is actually pulsing through the veins and arteries of you and three other classmates.

Work with a group of four, three other students and you. Begin by weighing yourselves

individually and recording the results. Use a kilogram scale if one is available or begin with

pounds and convert to kilograms. Now convert the total to liters (1 kilogram = 1 liter of

water). You’re ready now to calculate the average for your group. Calculate the average in

milliliters. Knowing that the approximate ratio of blood to body mass is 8%, measure and pour

into a bucket an amount of water that is equal to your group’s average. dd red food coloring

to the water. Look at the water and consider the fact that about 1/4 of those milliliters are

pulsing through your own veins and arteries.

Now you’re ready to calculate the approximate volume of each of those four basic

components of blood, using your group’s total. Create a pie graph to show the relationships.

Remember to title and label your chart accurately.

( ontinued)

Biomedical Research Investigating Blood