Oxygen Disassociation Curves

Question 1

What is the relationship between the size of an organism and it’s affinity it’s haemoglobin has for oxygen

Answer 1

The larger the organism the higher the affinity the haemoglobin has for oxygen

Question 2

Are lugworms active?

Answer 2

No, not very active

Question 3

How do lugworms receive oxygen

Answer 3

Oxygen diffuses from sea water into lugworms blood when its burrow is flooded.​

Question 4

What happens to the water in lugworm’s burrows when the tide goes back out

Answer 4

The burrow remains flooded but water is not refreshed so the oxygen concentration decreases as it diffuses into the worm.​

Question 5

What does the way the lugworm receives it’s oxygen mean for it’s haemoglobin’s affinity to oxygen in comparison to humans

Answer 5

Lugworm’s haemoglobin’s affinity to oxygen is much higher than humans. Therefore, their curve is far to the left of the humans curve (see an image of this)