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Exchange and transport

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Question 6

During a marine biology study on the Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii), researchers investigate the oxygen-binding properties of its skeletal muscle myoglobin compared to human adult haemoglobin.

The adult haemoglobin oxygen dissociation curve has the following reference points:

  • At a partial pressure of pO2=3.6 kPa\text{pO}_2 = 3.6\text{ kPa}pO2​=3.6 kPa, human haemoglobin is 50%50\%50% saturated.
  • At a partial pressure of pO2=5.4 kPa\text{pO}_2 = 5.4\text{ kPa}pO2​=5.4 kPa, human haemoglobin is 72%72\%72% saturated.
  • At a partial pressure of pO2=9.0 kPa\text{pO}_2 = 9.0\text{ kPa}pO2​=9.0 kPa, human haemoglobin is 90%90\%90% saturated.

The oxygen dissociation curve for the seal's myoglobin is modelled as follows:

  1. At low partial pressures, the oxygen saturation of myoglobin increases linearly from the origin (0,0)(0, 0)(0,0) at a constant rate of 12.5%12.5\%12.5% per kPa\text{kPa}kPa of oxygen, up to a saturation level of 75%75\%75%.
  2. For higher partial pressures, the rate of oxygen binding slows down continuously until the myoglobin reaches 100%100\%100% saturation.
  3. The partial pressure of oxygen at which myoglobin first reaches 100%100\%100% saturation is equal to the partial pressure at which human haemoglobin is 90%90\%90% saturated.

Based on this model:

a.

Determine the partial pressure of oxygen (pO2\text{pO}_2pO2​) at which the initial linear phase of myoglobin ends.

[2]
b.

State the coordinates (x,y)(x, y)(x,y), in the form (pO2 in kPa, saturation in %)(\text{pO}_2\text{ in kPa}, \text{ saturation in \%})(pO2​ in kPa, saturation in %), of the point on the curve where myoglobin first reaches 100%100\%100% saturation.

[2]

Exchange and transport Questions

  1. A Level
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  3. /Exchange and transport