• Question: what does the plasma fluid contain of?

    Asked by zarah246 to Tim, Dalya, Derek, Sarah, Tom on 22 Jun 2011. This question was also asked by mollyrose, sophieanne.
    • Photo: Tim Millar

      Tim Millar answered on 13 Jun 2011:

      Plasma fluid is cell free, so no red or white cells or platelets. It is mainly water and proteins and carries nutrients around with it. it can cause a clot because carries all the proteins needed to stop you loosing blood when you have a cut (as well as some on the blood vessel wall)

    • Photo: Dalya Soond

      Dalya Soond answered on 17 Jun 2011:

      Water, proteins, ions, but no cells.
      It’s important because it contains antibodies, which coat bacteria, viruses, other germs and allergens to help the body get rid of them. Most vaccines cause the body to produce antibodies.

    • Photo: Derek McKay-Bukowski

      Derek McKay-Bukowski answered on 17 Jun 2011:

      There are several types of plasma. Obviously what you are asking about is the plasma in blood. The biologists can answer that one.

      However in physics, a plasma is an ionised gas. As a fluid is any non-rigid structure, (physics) plasma can be “fluid” in the same way that water or air can be and can be. However, because the particles are charged, there are additional forces other than those normally associated with fluid dynamics. In any case, (physics) plasmas are made of charged particles.

      Yeah, yeah, I know… you were asking about blood! 😉

    • Photo: Tom Crick

      Tom Crick answered on 18 Jun 2011:

      The biologists have already answered this (blood) plasma question, but like Derek, I was going to answer that plasma is an ionised gas and a high-energy state of matter…

    • Photo: Sarah Thomas

      Sarah Thomas answered on 20 Jun 2011:

      I agree with Tim and Dayla’s answers 😀

    • Photo: Sarah Thomas

      Sarah Thomas answered on 22 Jun 2011:

      I agree with Tim and Dayla’s answers
      🙂

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