Hemoglobin
Definition
Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues and returns carbon dioxide from the tissues back to the lungs.
Analogy
Think of hemoglobin as a school bus for oxygen and carbon dioxide. It picks up oxygen at your lungs (the "school") and drops it off at various parts of your body (the "homes"). Then, it picks up carbon dioxide waste (like picking up students in the morning) and brings it back to your lungs to be exhaled out (like dropping students off at school).
Related terms
Iron: This is an essential mineral that forms part of hemoglobin, helping it carry oxygen.
Red Blood Cells: These are cells in our blood that contain hemoglobin. They transport oxygen around our bodies.
Protein: A large molecule composed of one or more chains of amino acids. Hemoglobin is an example of a protein.
"Hemoglobin" appears in:
Resources
© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.