AIIMS 2012
- Exam
- AIIMS
- Year
- 2012
- Subject
- Zoology
- Chapter
- Breathing and Exchange of Gases
AIIMS 2012 · Zoology · Breathing and Exchange of Gases
Oxygen binding to haemoglobin in blood is
Oxygen binding to haemoglobin in blood is
Options
- Adirectly proportional to the concentration of in the medium
- Binversely proportional to the concentration of in the medium
- Cdirectly proportional to the concentration of in the medium
- Dindependent of the concentration of in the medium.
Correct answer
B. inversely proportional to the concentration of in the medium
Step-by-step solution
Bohr's effect is the phenomenon whereby the affinity of the respiratory pigment i.e., haemoglobin in the blood for oxygen is reduced when the level of carbon dioxide is increased. An increase in carbon dioxide concentration makes the blood more acidic which results in decrease in the efficiency of the uptake of oxygen by haemoglobin molecules. This facilitates gaseous exchange, because more oxygen is released in the tissues where the amount of carbon dioxide is rising due to metabolic activity. In its reverse, more oxygen is taken up at the lungs where the amount of carbon dioxide is low.