A small paper cut in the finger and we can see red blood oozing out.
A common assumption is that the presence of haemoglobin causes the red colour of blood.
However, the real reason is the shape of porphyrin that determines the redness of blood.
[ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”show” ihc_mb_who=”2,3,5″ ihc_mb_template=”1″ ]Porphyrin is a ring of atoms in haemoglobin that binds to iron.
It has a complex cyclic shape with another atom binded at the centre.
In haemoglobin, this atom is iron, which gives the red colour of the blood.
The porphyrin atom can have oxygen attached and this will determine the intensity of the redness of blood.
Porphyrin is considered the atom that gives colour to life.
It is also the reason why green plants are green. In the plants, porphyrin binds with magnesium and gives the green colour.
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