Colour Of Arteries And Veins
Why are veins look blue, when our blood is red? Ever wondered Colour Of Arteries And Veins. The blood that flows through our body contains different cells and materials that perform its own specific function.
Different materials present in blood are: proteins such as antibodies that fights against diseases, fibrinogen that helps in blood clotting, carbohydrates, salts and fats.
3 types of blood cells
Red blood cells are also called as erythrocytes that carry oxygen from lungs to rest of the body.
White blood cells are also called as leukocytes that helps to fight against infections.
Platelets are also called as thrombocytes that helps in blood clotting.
The liquid portion of blood is called as plasma that is made up of made up of water, proteins and salts. These blood cells are suspended on the plasma.
Why blood is Red in colour?
The red blood cells gives the blood its colour. They are so many in blood that gives blood its color. When the blood cells grows and takes its position in bone marrow, the nucleus is lost and forms more haemoglobin.
Hemoglobin is the protein made by red blood cells. This pigment is red in colour that gives blood its red colour.
Hemoglobin carries oxygen from the lungs to rest of the tissues and returns carbon dioxide from the body tissues to the lungs again.
Hemoglobin and iron molecules forms complex together they helps in oxygen transport. Iron reflects red light and thus blood looks red.
Why Veins Appear Blue?
BLOOD IS ALWAYS RED IN COLOUR but veins appear blue because it is present under the skin. The colors we see are because of which wavelength of light are reflected back to our eyes.
Different wavelengths of light travels through our veins. Blue light is deflected back because it has shorter wavelength and cannot penetrates through our skin layers. Therefore, blue light is reflected and veins appear blue.
Why Are Arteries Red?
Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood to the body from heart and veins carry oxygen-deficient blood again to heart. Oxygen-deficient blood means more carbon dioxide that has to be expelled. Therefore, it is expelled from lungs with the help of heart.
Now, arteries are red in colour because it is oxygen-rich blood. More oxygen, more hemoglobin protein that gives blood a red color. They lie deep in the tissues and blue colour is not deflected as in veins.
Arteries lie deep in the tissues, except along sides of neck, at the wrist and over the instep.
At any of these places, pulse can be felt by doctor and gives idea about arteries condition.
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