The oxygen content of water increases linearly with increase in oxygen partial pressure while the oxygen content of blood increases in a sigmoidal (S-shaped)fashion.Why?
A)Carbonic anhydrase contributes to CO₂ release in blood,but not water.
B)The Bohr shift is stronger in water than in blood.
C)Hemoglobin shows cooperative oxygen binding.
D)All of the above answers apply.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Hemoglobin shows cooperative oxygen binding, which means that the binding of one oxygen molecule facilitates the binding of subsequent molecules. This results in the sigmoidal-shaped oxygen dissociation curve of blood. Water, on the other hand, does not contain hemoglobin and does not show cooperative binding, resulting in a linear relationship between oxygen content and oxygen partial pressure. Option A and B are not relevant to the difference in the oxygen dissociation curves between water and blood.

The Oxygen Content of Water Increases Linearly with Increase in Oxygen