• Question: What happens to the blood in people's bodys when they die???

    Asked by jordanrichards24 to Laura, Nicola, Norman, Sandra, Thanasis on 14 Mar 2013.
    • Photo: Laura Soul

      Laura Soul answered on 14 Mar 2013:


      The first thing that happens is that it goes to the lowest point it can because of gravity, so if the person is lying on their back blood will flow through the veins and capillaries towards their back and the back of their arms and legs. Then very quickly the blood starts to clot and so goes hard. After this if they are going to be buried in a coffin like a lot of people in this country then someone will remove all the blood from their body and replace it with a chemical that is good for preserving bodies. If the person is left then the blood cells will start to decompose, as will all the other cells of their body.

    • Photo: Nicola Wardrop

      Nicola Wardrop answered on 14 Mar 2013:


      When someone dies, their heart stops beating, so that means that the blood stops moving around the veins and arteries in their body. Then it sinks downwards in the persons body (if they are lying down, then down towards their back) which causes lots of bruises on the skin in those areas. After a while, if the person isn’t enbalmed (blood replaced with a preserving chemical), then it will start to rot along with everything else. Not a very nice though 🙁

    • Photo: Sandra Phinbow

      Sandra Phinbow answered on 14 Mar 2013:


      Yup the other scientists are correct so there’s nothing I can really add.

      I do remember the first post mortem I helped with, and being surprised that the blood was so runny. I was expecting it to be quite solid, and it just wasn’t.

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