An athlete's red blood cell (RBC) count and haemoglobin levels can change as their body adapts to different environments. The table below shows the mean RBC count and mean haemoglobin concentration of an endurance runner before and after a 6-week acclimation period at a high-altitude training camp.
| Measurement Phase | Mean RBC Count (×1012 cells/dm3\times 10^{12} \text{ cells/dm}^3×1012 cells/dm3) | Mean Haemoglobin Concentration (g/dm3\text{g/dm}^3g/dm3) |
|---|---|---|
| Sea Level (Pre-training) | 4.44.44.4 | 140140140 |
| High Altitude (Post-training) | 5.15.15.1 | 161161161 |
Calculate the percentage increase in the mean haemoglobin concentration of the athlete after high-altitude training compared to sea level.
Explain how an increase in haemoglobin concentration helps to improve an athlete's endurance performance.
44 exam-style questions on AQA GCSE Biology 2.2 Animal tissues, organs and organ systems, covering 2.2.1 The human digestive system, 2.2.2 The heart and blood vessels, 2.2.3 Blood, 2.2.4 Coronary heart disease: a non-communicable disease, 2.2.5 Health issues, 2.2.6 The effect of lifestyle on some non-communicable diseases, and 2.2.7 Cancer. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.