Final answer:
The low oxygen status experienced by a person who travels from a low to a high altitude, like from Indianapolis to Quito, is known as c. hypoxia. This occurs due to the reduction of oxygen's partial pressure at high altitudes and the body compensates by increasing breathing and heart rate, and eventually by producing more red blood cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a Hoosier leaves the 800 foot elevation of Indianapolis and travels to Quito, Ecuador, which has an elevation of 8000 feet above sea level, their body will experience physiological changes due to the lower oxygen levels at higher altitudes. This low oxygen status in the human body is called hypoxia. Due to lower atmospheric pressure at high altitudes, the partial pressure of oxygen decreases, which leads to a reduced oxygen saturation of hemoglobin in the blood. In order to compensate for lower oxygen saturation, the body begins to breathe faster and the heart rate increases, facilitating the delivery of more oxygen to tissues. The body may eventually acclimatize to high altitudes by increasing the production of erythropoietin (EPO), which stimulates the production of more red blood cells, thereby increasing oxygen transport capacity.