Consider the oxygen-binding profile at three different pH values of 7.6, 7.4, and 7.2. Which statement is most correct?

Question

Consider the oxygen-binding profile at three different pH values of 7.6, 7.4, and 7.2.  Which statement is most correct?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is because the curve that shows Hb binding to oxygen most strongly (which is called the oxygen dissociation curve) is typically centered around the physiological pH of 7.4. Curve Y is the only one that is close to this value, so it is the most likely to correspond to pH 7.4.

However, it should be noted that option C is not entirely incorrect: when the pH is lower (i.e. more acidic), Hb does have a higher affinity for oxygen. Therefore, we cannot definitively say that Hb has a higher affinity for oxygen at the pH of curve Z.

Consider the Oxygen-Binding Profile at Three Different PH Values of 7.6