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Exchange and transport

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Question 3

During a study of gas exchange in high-altitude birds, a physiologist compares the oxygen dissociation curve of bar-headed goose (Anser indicus) haemoglobin to that of lowland greylag goose (Anser anser) haemoglobin.

The lowland goose haemoglobin dissociation curve is defined by the following reference points:

  • At a partial pressure of pO2=30 mmHg\text{pO}_2 = 30\text{ mmHg}pO2​=30 mmHg, lowland goose haemoglobin is 50%50\%50% saturated.
  • At a partial pressure of pO2=50 mmHg\text{pO}_2 = 50\text{ mmHg}pO2​=50 mmHg, lowland goose haemoglobin is 80%80\%80% saturated.
  • At a partial pressure of pO2=80 mmHg\text{pO}_2 = 80\text{ mmHg}pO2​=80 mmHg, lowland goose haemoglobin is 95%95\%95% saturated.

The physiologist models the oxygen dissociation curve for bar-headed goose haemoglobin as follows:

  1. At low oxygen levels, the saturation of bar-headed goose haemoglobin increases linearly at a constant rate of 4%4\%4% per mmHg\text{mmHg}mmHg of oxygen, starting from the origin (0,0)(0, 0)(0,0), up to a saturation level of 80%80\%80%.
  2. At higher partial pressures of oxygen, the rate of oxygen binding slows down gradually until bar-headed goose haemoglobin reaches 100%100\%100% saturation.
  3. The partial pressure at which bar-headed goose haemoglobin first reaches 100%100\%100% saturation is equal to the partial pressure at which lowland goose haemoglobin is 80%80\%80% saturated.

Based on this model:

a.

Determine the partial pressure of oxygen (pO2\text{pO}_2pO2​) at which the initial linear phase for bar-headed goose haemoglobin ends.

[2]
b.

State the coordinates (x,y)(x, y)(x,y), in the form (pO2 in mmHg, saturation in %)(\text{pO}_2\text{ in mmHg}, \text{ saturation in \%})(pO2​ in mmHg, saturation in %), of the endpoint where bar-headed goose haemoglobin first reaches 100%100\%100% saturation.

[2]

Exchange and transport Questions

  1. A Level
  2. /Biology
  3. /Exchange and transport