Question

(Q001) You and your classmates have decided to take a vacation to the Andes in South America. You plan to spend 2 weeks hiking, camping, and exploring the area. While you are there, you can expect to undergo some acclimatization to this high-altitude environment. Describe one of these possible acclimatizations.

Answer 1

One possible acclimatization is the rise in red blood cell count when a person is in higher altitudes. This is because the air density is less when at higher altitudes, therefore oxygen availability is also less. A person may experience symptoms of uneasiness, weakness, etc. due to the reduced oxygen supply to the tissues. This is why red blood cell count increases in the blood in order to absorb the available oxygen into the body