Blood — red cells, white cells, plasma, platelets
AQA GCSE Biology revision on Blood — red cells, white cells, plasma, platelets. Aligned to the AQA GCSE Biology 8461 specification. This bank has 25 practice questions on this topic.
Sample questions (3 of 25)
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Question 1
Which component of the blood is primarily responsible for the transport of carbon dioxide and dissolved glucose?
- A) The red blood cells
- B) The blood plasma
- C) The white blood cells
- D) The blood platelets
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Answer: The blood plasma
While red blood cells are specialised for oxygen transport, plasma acts as the transport medium for dissolved substances. This includes carbon dioxide from respiring cells, glucose from digestion, and waste products like urea.
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Question 2
How does the biconcave disc shape of a red blood cell enhance its efficiency in oxygen transport?
- A) It reduces cell weight
- B) It increases surface area
- C) It prevents cell clumping
- D) It aids in cell movement
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Answer: It increases surface area
The biconcave shape creates a high surface area to volume ratio, which allows oxygen to diffuse into and out of the cell more rapidly. This adaptation ensures that cells can exchange gases efficiently despite the rapid flow of blood.
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Question 3
What is the primary function of platelets in the human circulatory system?
Show answer
Answer: clotting
Platelets are small fragments of cells that have no nucleus. When a blood vessel is damaged, they aggregate at the site and release chemicals that initiate the conversion of fibrinogen into fibrin, forming a mesh to clot the blood.
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