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In a hematocrit tube, erythrocytes settle at the very bottom because they are:
AThe lightest elements
BThe most numerous cells
CThe smallest fragments
DThe heaviest elements
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: D. The heaviest elements
1. Centrifugation separates blood by density.
2. A hematocrit measures the percentage of red blood cells in a sample.
3. The heaviest elements in blood are the erythrocytes.
4. That is why they settle at the very bottom of the hematocrit tube.
_Source: OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology 2e (CC BY 4.0), Ch 18 'The Cardiovascular System: Blood', sections 18.1-18.6_
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