Plasma is the liquid component while the formed elements are the solid component which includes erythrocytes, leukocytes and thrombocytes. Erythrocytes are responsible for carrying oxygen to cells, leukocytes serve to protect the body, and platelets are in charge of blood clotting. Forty-five percent of the blood is made up of the formed elements while the rest (fifty-five percent) is plasma. Centrifuges are machines that identify the different elements in blood by separation. It separates the blood into three layers: plasma, erythrocytes, and a thin layer called a buffy coat. Buffy coat contains both blood cells and platelets. This machine allows specialists to take blood measurements. These measurements are called hematocrit which is the proportion of the total blood volume that is composed of erythrocytes. On average, men tend to have a total blood volume of forty-five percent while women tend to only have forty