Albumin, one element of blood plasma, is an effective substitute for plasma in treating or preventing shock, the collapse of blood vessels due to a drop in the liquid volume of the bloodstream. Injected into the bloodstream, albumin absorbs enough liquid from surrounding tissues to keep the blood vessels open. It has an advantage over plasma because it can be made available for emergencies while taking up a fraction of the shipping and storage space of plasma.
Hardbound books can be a better choice than paperbacks despite their extra bulk if the books need to be more durable than paperbacks best illustrates the principle illustrated by the stated advantage of using albumin as a substitute for plasma.