Question

How do we perform a manual hematocrit measurement?

A) Centrifuge a blood sample, measure the height of the packed red blood cells, and calculate the percentage.

B) Mix a blood sample with a coagulation reagent, measure the time it takes to clot, and calculate the hematocrit.

C) Add a blood sample to a hemocytometer, count the number of red blood cells, and calculate the hematocrit.

D) Use a spectrophotometer to measure the concentration of hemoglobin in a blood sample and calculate the hematocrit.

Answer 1

A manual hematocrit measurement is performed by centrifuging a blood sample and then calculating the percentage of packed red blood cells relative to the total blood volume.

Step-by-step explanation:

The method to perform a manual hematocrit measurement is by centrifuging a blood sample, and then measuring the height of the packed red blood cells (erythrocytes) relative to the total blood volume to calculate the percentage. This process separates the different components of the blood, with erythrocytes settling at the bottom, a buffy coat containing leukocytes and platelets in the middle, and plasma at the top. The hematocrit value is determined by dividing the volume of the packed erythrocytes by the total volume of the blood sample and multiplying by 100 to obtain the percentage.