Q. What would happen if human blood becomes acidic (low )?
Solution:
Haemoglobin is very efficient in getting loaded with oxygen in the lungs and equally efficient in unloading the oxygen to the tissues. It is very sensitive to the needs of the cell for oxygen.
Factors affecting the dissociation of oxyhaemoglobin:
Increase in metabolism increases the carbon dioxide output along with the output of heat (increase in temperature) and intermediary products of metabolism. The increase in the concentration of hydrogen ions (decrease in pH and increase in acidity) and carbon dioxide, temperature and the amount of intermediated substances of glucose metabolism at the tissues increase the supply of oxygen to the cells through dissociation of oxyhaemoglobin by decreasing its affinity and the curve shifting right. This is called the Bohr's effect. Low pO2 also favours dissociation.
Haemoglobin is very efficient in getting loaded with oxygen in the lungs and equally efficient in unloading the oxygen to the tissues. It is very sensitive to the needs of the cell for oxygen.
Factors affecting the dissociation of oxyhaemoglobin:
Increase in metabolism increases the carbon dioxide output along with the output of heat (increase in temperature) and intermediary products of metabolism. The increase in the concentration of hydrogen ions (decrease in pH and increase in acidity) and carbon dioxide, temperature and the amount of intermediated substances of glucose metabolism at the tissues increase the supply of oxygen to the cells through dissociation of oxyhaemoglobin by decreasing its affinity and the curve shifting right. This is called the Bohr's effect. Low pO2 also favours dissociation.