Question

Fill in the following flowchart to show the pathway of a red blood cell as

Answer 1

Answer:

1. The pathway of a red blood cell from the right ventricle to the brain is:

Right ventricle → pulmonary arteries → lungs → pulmonary veins → left atrium → left ventricle → artery aorta → arterial vessels → brain .

2. The substance that forms hemoglobin in red blood cells when it passes through the lungs is oxyhemoglobin.

Explanation:

Red blood cells are structures present in the blood, whose function is to transport oxygen (O₂) and carbon dioxide (CO₂). This process requires travel throughout the body, through the blood vessels, and gas exchange at the pulmonary and tissue level.

1. A red blood cell in the right ventricle contains carbon dioxide and must pass to the lungs to be oxygenated. The route it takes from there includes Right ventricle (minor circulation) → pulmonary arteries → lungs → pulmonary veins → left atrium → left ventricle → (joining the major circulation) artery aorta → arterial vessels → brain .

2. The red blood cell or erythrocyte contains a molecule, called hemoglobin, which has an iron core that allows it to bind to O₂ and CO₂ in order to transport them. The affinity for one molecule or another depends on the presence of a certain gas in a certain place.

When the red blood cell passes through the lungs, the concentration of O₂ is higher than CO₂, so the latter is released and O₂ binds to hemoglobin, a conjugation that is called oxyhemoglobin.