Sometimes red blood cells (RBC) can break open in the tube, leading to a false appearance of high potassium (K) levels. What is the reason for this phenomenon?
1) The RBCs release potassium when they break open
2) The broken RBCs interfere with the potassium measurement
3) The broken RBCs cause a chemical reaction that increases the measured potassium levels
4) The broken RBCs cause the potassium to bind to other molecules, making it appear higher
