PhysioEx Lab Report
Exercise 11: Blood Analysis
Activity 1: Hematocrit Determination
Name: MERU ANUSHREE ASHWINKUMAR
Date: 29 July 2023
Session ID: session-fb3a5645-9d15-5d93-5616-5c158d29ba48
Pre-lab Quiz Results
You scored 100% by answering 4 out of 4 questions correctly.
1 Hematocrit
You correctly answered: of 40 means that 40% of the volume of blood consists of RBCs.
2 A buffy coat layer
You correctly answered: is all of the above.
3 The diagnosis of anemia indicates
You correctly answered: a lower-than-normal hematocrit.
4 Polycythemia refers to
You correctly answered: a significant increase in RBCs.
Experiment Results
Predict Question
1 Predict Question: Predict how the hematocrits of the patients living in Denver,
Colorado (approximately one mile above sea level), will compare with the hematocrit
levels of the patients living in Boston, Massachusetts (at sea level).
Your answer: The hematocrits of the Denver residents will be higher than those of the
Boston residents.
Stop & Think Question
1 Why would the hemoglobin levels of an anemic patient be lower than the hemoglobin
levels of a normal, healthy individual?
You correctly answered: Because hemoglobin resides in RBCs, you would anticipate a
low hematocrit level to coincide with a low hemoglobin level.
Experiment Data
Blood Height of Height of Height of Hematocrit % WBC
sample column of red blood buffy coat
blood cell layer (white blood
cells)
1 100 mm 48 mm 1 mm 48 1
2 100 mm 44 mm 1 mm 44 1
3 100 mm 55 mm 1 mm 55 1
4 100 mm 53 mm 1 mm 53 1
5 100 mm 19 mm 0.5 mm 19 0.5
6 100 mm 32 mm 1 mm 32 1
Sample 1: healthy male living in Boston
Sample 2: healthy female living in Boston
Sample 3: healthy male living in Denver
Sample 4: healthy female living in Denver
Sample 5: male with aplastic anemia
Sample 6: female with iron-deficiency anemia
Post-lab Quiz Results
You scored 100% by answering 4 out of 4 questions correctly.
1 Anemia refers to
You correctly answered: a lower-than-normal hematocrit.
2 To complete the blood test to measure hematocrit, you must seal the blood-containing
capillary tubes on one end with a clay material so that
You correctly answered: the blood sample can be centrifuged without having the blood
spray out of the tube.
3 Possible causes of polycythemia include
You correctly answered: living at high altitudes.
4 You would expect anemia to develop in a person
You correctly answered: who has abnormally shaped hemoglobin in their RBCs.
Review Sheet Results
1 List the hematocrits for the healthy male (sample 1) and female (sample 2) living in
Boston (at sea level) and indicate whether they are normal or whether they indicate
anemia or polycythemia.
Your answer:
sample one hematocrits was 48 and the 2nd sample was 44. normal levels for a male is
from
42 to 52 and for a female is 37 to 47. So yes both levels are normal.
2 Describe the difference between the hematocrits for the male and female living in
Boston. Why does this difference between the sexes exist?
Your answer:
there is a difference in hematocrits between male and females living in Boston. In
males it is
between 42 to 52, and for females it is between 37 to 47. Men tend to have a higher
level, than woman because men have higher levels of testerone. Testosterone
stimulates the kidneys to release erythropoietin. Erythropoietin in turn increases the
production of RBC, which increases the level of hematocrit.
3 List the hematocrits for the healthy male and female living in Denver (approximately
one mile above sea level) and indicate whether they are normal or whether they
indicate anemia or polycythemia.
Your answer:
sample 3 level is 55, and sample 4 level is 53. The levels are higher because they are
one mile above sea level. which indicate polycythemia.
4 How did the hematocrit levels of the Denver residents differ from those of the Boston
residents? Why? How well did the results compare with your prediction?
Your answer:
I was correct in my prediction, the levels of the person living in denver will be higher
because
they live at a higher altitude. At a higher altitude oxygen levels are low. and so is the
supply
of oxygen to all the tissue in the body. To create a balance the body increases the
number of
erythrocytes , which facilitates the transportation of oxygen.
5 Describe how the kidneys respond to a chronic decrease in oxygen and what effect this
has on hematocrit levels.
Your answer:
kidneys respond by releasing the hormone erythropoietin when there is a critical
decrease
in the oxygen level in the body. erythropoietin stimulates the synthesis of RBC and
increasein the number of RBCs facilitates increase oxygen transport.
6 List the hematocrit for the male with aplastic anemia (sample 5) and indicate whether
it is normal or abnormal. Explain your response.
Your answer:
sample 5 level was 19 which indicates Aplastic Anemia. Aplastic anemia is a disease in
which
the body fails to produce blood cells in sufficient numbers. Blood cells are produced in
the
bone marrow by stem cells that reside there. Aplastic anaemia causes a deficiency of
all blood cell types: red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
7 List the hematocrit for the female with iron-deficiency anemia (sample 6) and indicate
whether it is normal or abnormal. Explain your response.
Your answer:
Sample 6 level's was a 66. A condition of too little iron in the body.
Iron deficiency is a common cause of too few healthy red blood cells in the body
(anemia).
