Lesson 65 continued - Haemoglobins in different species and the Bohr effect

Question 1

What are 3 things that cause the Bohr effect?

Answer 1

• High carbon dioxide concentration
• Low pH (acidic conditions)
• High temperature

Question 2

What are the different conditions for gas exchange surface and respiring tissue?

Answer 2

Gas exchange surface: high O2 conc. Low CO2 conc. High affinity of haemoglobin for O2. O2 is associated.
Respiring tissue: low O2 conc. High CO2 conc. Low affinity of haemoglobin for O2. O2 is dissociated.

Question 3

Why do we have high CO2 and low pH in respiring tissue?

Answer 3

CO2 reacts with water in the blood plasma solution to form carbonic acid which dissociates to release H+ ions (acidic)
- Makes pH more acidic (low)
- Also lactic acid may be produced

Question 4

What happens to a dissociation curve for organisms that live in low O2 environments?

Answer 4

The curve shifts to the left, due to the haemoglobin having a high affinity for O2.

Question 5

What happens to a dissociation curve for organisms that have a high respiration rate?

Answer 5

The curve shifts to the right, due to having a low affinity for O2.

Question 6

What happens to a dissociation curve for animals with a higher SA:V ratio?

Answer 6

Curve shifts to the right, due to a lowere affinity for O2.