Oxygen Dissociation Graphs
Oxygen Dissociation Graphs
Oxygen Dissociation Graphs
1. Fig. 2.1 shows oxygen dissociation curves for both haemoglobin and myoglobin.
The saturation of haemoglobin with oxygen increases as the partial pressure of oxygen is increased.
(i) Use Fig. 2.1 to calculate the fastest rate of change in haemoglobin saturation as oxygen partial pressure
increases. Determine the units for your answer.
(ii) Suggest where in the body a partial pressure of oxygen of 13 kPa would be found.
[1]
(iii) On Fig. 2.1, sketch the oxygen dissociation curve for human fetal haemoglobin.
[1]
(iv) Explain the biological significance of the different oxygen dissociation curves of myoglobin and adult
haemoglobin.
ii lungs / alveoli 1
iii curve placed anywhere between the 1 The fetal haemoglobin curve can merge
myoglobin and haemoglobin curves with either of the other two lines after 10
kPa
Total 7
Graph A is the curve for a llama which is a mammal that lives at high altitudes. Graph B is the
curve for a domestic cat and graph C is the curve for a mouse which is a small mammal with a
Key:
A = llama
B = domestic cat
C = mouse
(i) What is the percentage saturation of the cat's haemoglobin with oxygen when the partial
[1]
[2]
(b) State which of the three curves represents the haemoglobin with the lowest affinity for oxygen
at 3.0kPa.
[1]
(c) If the pH of the blood became more acidic, the position of curve C for the mouse would
change.
(i) Draw on the graph opposite the new position of curve C when the blood becomes more acidic.
[1]
(ii) Explain the benefits to the mouse of this change in position of curve C.
[3]
environment.
[3]
(e) State which of the three curves could represent the oxygen dissociation curve of a lugworm.
[1]
1.
1(a). * Describe how the structure of llama hamoglobin is likely to be different from that of camel haemoglobin with
reference to the four levels of protein structure.
[6]
(b). Haemoglobin is a protein that carries oxygen in the blood of all mammals. The structure of haemoglobin can vary
slightly between species.
Fig. 4.2 shows dissociation curves for llama haemoglobin and camel haemoglobin.
(i) State the partial pressure of oxygen that results in a saturation of 50% in llama haemoglobin.
Answer_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ [1]
(ii) Explain why it is important for the survival of the llama that the llama haemoglobin dissociation curve is to the
left of the camel haemoglobin dissociation curve.
[2]
(i) What name is given to a change in the oxygen dissociation curve due to increasing carbon dioxide
concentration?
[1]
(ii) Letter T in the figure indicates the partial pressure of oxygen in actively respiring tissues.
Explain why the blood off-loads more oxygen to actively respiring tissues than to resting tissues.
[2]
(i) One of these changes is that the foramen ovale, a hole in the septum between the right and left atria, closes.
In the fetus, the foramen ovale allows blood to flow directly from the right atrium to the left atrium.
Suggest why the foramen ovale is open in the fetus before birth.
[2]
(ii) Another change occurring after birth is that fetal haemoglobin is replaced with adult haemoglobin.
State one difference between fetal haemoglobin and adult haemoglobin and give one reason why this
difference is essential to the fetus.
difference
reason
[2]
0 marks
No response or no response worthy of
credit.
Total 9
Examiner's Comments
Examiner's Comments
Total 3
3 i lungs not, functioning / filled with air; 2 max ACCEPT fetus not breathing
Examiner's Comments
ii EITHER 2
Difference: (fetal haemoglobin) higher ACCEPT able to become more saturated
affinity for oxygen /described/ than adult haemoglobin at low pO2
ORA; IGNORE gets more saturated at low pO2
(ie no comparison to adult haemoglobin)
IGNORE ref to saturation curve
Total 4