Haemoglobin is:/a:

(i) The colouring matter of leaves of plants 

(ii) The colouring matter of blood 

(iii) A compound that is highly coloured 

(iv) A compound that contains iron

The correct answers are:

The correct answer is 'The colouring matter of blood, a compound that is highly coloured, a compound that contains iron'

Key Points

• Haemoglobin:
  • Haemoglobin is a protein found in red blood cells that is responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body and returning carbon dioxide from the tissues back to the lungs.
  • It is the primary colouring matter of blood, giving it the characteristic red color.
  • Haemoglobin is a highly coloured compound due to the presence of heme groups, which contain iron atoms.
  • The iron in haemoglobin is crucial for its oxygen-carrying capacity, as each iron atom can bind to an oxygen molecule.

Additional Information

• The colouring matter of leaves of plants:
  • This statement refers to chlorophyll, not haemoglobin. Chlorophyll is the green pigment responsible for photosynthesis in plants.
• A compound that contains iron:
  • While haemoglobin is indeed a compound that contains iron, this alone does not encompass its full biological role or significance.