Which apparatus is used to determine the amount of respiratory gases in the blood?

The Van Slyke apparatus is specifically designed to measure the amount of respiratory gases, such as oxygen and carbon dioxide, in blood samples. This complex instrument operates based on gas diffusion through a membrane and utilizes chemical reactions to quantify the gas concentration.

Its design allows for precise measurement of blood gases, making it an essential tool in respiratory physiology and clinical laboratories. The Van Slyke apparatus plays a crucial role in assessing patients with respiratory diseases or conditions that affect gas exchange in the lungs. The other apparatus mentioned, such as incubators, spectrophotometers, and autoclaves, serve entirely different functions that do not pertain to the measurement of gases in blood. For instance, incubators are used for growing cultures, spectrophotometers are used for measuring the intensity of light absorbed by samples, and autoclaves are intended for sterilization purposes.