Question

Each red blood cell carries about 250 million molecules of hemoglobin. How many molecules of oxygen could a single red blood cell deliver throughout the body if every hemoglobin molecule attached to four oxygen molecules?

A. 1 trillion molecules of oxygen
B. 1 x 10 to the power of 8 molecules of oxygen
C. 1 billion molecules of oxygen
D. 1 x 10 to the power of 10 molecules of oxygen

Answer 1

250 million x4 so 1 billion

Answer 2

1 red cell = 250 × 10^6 hemoglobin
1 hemo = 4 oxygen

So the total molecules of oxygen per red blood cell is:

250 × 10^6 × 4
= 1000 × 10^6
= 1 × 10^9
= 1 billion!