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What happens to the ratio of oxygenated HbO₂(aq) to deoxygenated Hb(aq), i.e. when there is a high pressure of oxygen, PO₂(g), in the lungs?

User Eyal Golan
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Final answer:

In the lungs where the partial pressure of oxygen is high, the ratio of oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO₂) to deoxygenated hemoglobin (Hb) increases, enhancing the transport of oxygen to tissues.

Step-by-step explanation:

When there is a high pressure of oxygen in the lungs, the ratio of oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO₂) to deoxygenated hemoglobin (Hb) increases.

The chemical reaction Hb(aq) + O₂(g) → HbO₂(aq) is driven to the right, favoring the production of oxygenated hemoglobin due to the higher partial pressures of oxygen in the alveoli, because oxygen diffuses down its pressure gradient from the alveoli into the capillaries, binding with hemoglobin.

This process is crucial for the transport of oxygen to the tissues, as red blood cells (RBCs) carry the oxygenated hemoglobin through the bloodstream.

In the lungs, the partial pressure of oxygen is high, which facilitates this binding and alters the conformation of hemoglobin, thereby increasing its affinity for oxygen. This association is represented by an S-shaped curve that becomes steeper as more oxygen binds to hemoglobin.

User Konstantin Tenzin
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