Which of the following statements best describes the cause of asphyxiation described in the material?

• A. Hypoxemia due to low oxygen content
• B. O2 Deficiency in Blood
• C. Dehydration
• D. High Carbon Dioxide Levels

Answer: (B)

Asphyxiation is caused when the blood itself lacks enough oxygen to meet the body's needs. The key idea is that oxygen delivery to tissues is impaired because the blood’s oxygen content is deficient. When oxygen in the blood is too low (hypoxemia), cells can’t carry out aerobic metabolism, leading to the symptoms of asphyxia.

Dehydration doesn’t directly reduce the blood’s oxygen-carrying capacity in the immediate sense, so it isn’t the right description of the cause here. High carbon dioxide levels can accompany respiratory trouble, but they are a consequence of impaired ventilation rather than the root cause of the oxygen deficit described. Therefore, the statement that best describes the cause is the deficiency of oxygen in the blood.