The Oxygen Dissociation Curve

Question 1

the oxygen dissociation curve shows the rate at which

Answer 1

oxygen associates, and also dissociates, with haemoglobin at different partial pressures of oxygen (pO2)

Question 2

Partial pressure of oxygen refers to the

Answer 2

pressure exerted by oxygen within a mixture of gases; it is a measure of oxygen concentration

Question 3

Haemoglobin is referred to as being saturated when

Answer 3

all of its oxygen binding sites are taken up with oxygen; so when it contains four oxygen molecules

Question 4

affinity for oxygen is

Answer 4

The ease with which haemoglobin binds and dissociates with oxygen

Question 5

When haemoglobin has a high affinity it

Answer 5

binds easily and dissociates slowly

Question 6

When haemoglobin has a low affinity for oxygen it

Answer 6

binds slowly and dissociates easily

Question 7

In other liquids, such as water, we would expect oxygen to becomes associated with water, or to dissolve, at a constant rate, providing a straight line on a graph, but with haemoglobin oxygen binds at different rates as the pO2 changes; hence the resulting curve

It can be said that haemoglobin’s affinity for oxygen changes at different

Answer 7

partial pressures of oxygen