Question

When blood hits air what makes it change from a dark blue to dark/bright red?

Answer 1

no, blood is always reddish. It does become a brighter red when heme groups are oxygenated.

Answer 2

Im in EMT school right now and if you look at your blood before it is oxygenated its a darkish blue thats why your veins are blue the oxygen is what turns it red but thats my question why does blood hitting oxygen turn it red?

Answer 3

blood is never darkish blue, it looks that way because of the high concentration. It turns into a brighter red when dioxygen bind to the iron atom in a heme changing it's crystal field (the spacing between the transitions of electrons changes).

Answer 4

Your correct sir lol the instructor didnt go into detail about the color of the blood it was always just a "hmmm i wonder" kinda thing

Answer 5

Yeah, it's a very common misconception, but good stuff, curiosity is how we go about finding these things out to begin with.

Answer 6

maybe you can tell me something else again we dont really go into detail when we are in fire just search rescue and put out the flames ive been around and inside flames for about a year and a half now and ive never understood how that soot smell sets in. Like when you burn wood after the fire is out and the wood is chard and black it has that irreplaceable aroma i love the smell just dont know how it got there and im curious

Answer 7

It could be aromatic hydrocarbons, like benzene, which smell really good. Benzene in fact used to be used as an after shave, until it was found that it was carcinogenic.

Answer 8

true true