MEDICAL BIOLOGY, HUMAN ANATOMY, PHYSIOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY - Ya.I. Fedoniuk 2010

ANATOMY, PHYSIOLOGY, PATHOLOGY

SECTION 4. BLOOD SYSTEM

PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF BLOOD

3. DENSITY AND VISCOSITY OF BLOOD

The density of Blood is higher than that of Water due to dissolved substances. The density of plasma ranges from 1.025 to 1.034 g/cm3, whole blood is 1.05-1.06 g/cm3, and erythrocytes are 1.09 g/cm3.

Blood viscosity is measured relative to the viscosity of water, which is taken as 1. The viscosity of blood is 5.0, while that of plasma is 1.7-2.3, and it is determined by the friction of the outermost plasma layers against the vessel walls. The presence of formed elements, particularly erythrocytes, and protein molecules in the blood increases its viscosity. Due to its viscosity, blood creates resistance to blood flow.



Last update: 08/08/2026

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