Final answer:
Red blood cells primarily carryoxygen andcarbon dioxide in the bloodstream. They pick up oxygen from the lungs and deliver it to tissues while collecting carbon dioxide from the tissues to be exhaled. Other gases like helium and nitrogen are not significantly transported by red blood cells.
Explanation:
Gases Carried by Red Blood Cells
Red blood cells (RBCs), also known as erythrocytes, play a crucial role in the transport of gases in the bloodstream. The main gases carried by red blood cells are:
- Oxygen: RBCs pick up oxygen in the lungs and deliver it to tissues and organs. This process is essential for cellular respiration, which produces energy in the body.
- Carbon Dioxide: After delivering oxygen, RBCs also collect carbon dioxide, a waste product of metabolism, from the tissues and transport it back to the lungs for exhalation.
Other gases such as helium, nitrogen, and hydrogen are not primarily transported by RBCs in significant amounts under normal physiological conditions. Therefore, the two correct answers to which gases are carried by red blood cells are oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Learn more about gases in blood here:
https://brainly.com/question/39645438