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Module 3: Exchange and transport
Quick questions on Transport of oxygen and haemoglobin: dissociation curve, Bohr effect and CO2 transport - OCR A-Level Biology A
6short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is the oxygen dissociation curve?Show answer
The curve plots percentage saturation of haemoglobin against the partial pressure of oxygen (the concentration of oxygen in the surroundings):
What is fetal haemoglobin?Show answer
Fetal haemoglobin has a higher affinity for oxygen than adult haemoglobin, so its dissociation curve lies to the left. In the placenta, where the partial pressure of oxygen is low, fetal haemoglobin can still load oxygen from the mother's blood (whose haemoglobin is unloading it), allowing oxygen to transfer from mother to fetus.
What is transport of carbon dioxide?Show answer
Carbon dioxide is carried in three ways, but most as hydrogencarbonate ions:
What is q1?Show answer
Explain why the oxygen dissociation curve is steep in its middle section. [2 marks]
What is q2?Show answer
State the direction in which the dissociation curve shifts during the Bohr effect, and the cause. [2 marks]
What is q3?Show answer
Name the enzyme that catalyses the formation of carbonic acid in red blood cells. [1 mark]
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