Solubilty of Oxygen in Blood Greater Than Water

[eLg]

Hi,

Why is the solubility of oxygen in blood greater than its solubility in pure water? I need to have an answer that relates to solubility, temperature and pressure. I read about Henry's law, but its not that clear to me because my teacher did not discuss Henry's law in class.

Edited May 25, 2013 by eLg

[EdEarl]

Probably because hemoglobin really likes oxygen, and the process of blood taking oxygen is not the same as dissolving oxygen in water.

[Amaton]

Hi,

Why is the solubility of oxygen in blood greater than its solubility in pure water? I need to have an answer that relates to solubility, temperature and pressure. I read about Henry's law, but its not that clear to me because my teacher did not discuss Henry's law in class.

 

Are you required to use Henry's Law in your answer? If so, that could majorly change your approach.

 

Otherwise, I agree with EdEarl. I think the question is more endemic to chemical change than purely physical properties (i.e. how hemoglobin binding plays a role).

[eLg]

Are you required to use Henry's Law in your answer? If so, that could majorly change your approach.

 

Otherwise, I agree with EdEarl. I think the question is more endemic to chemical change than purely physical properties (i.e. how hemoglobin binding plays a role)

 

Is it possible not to use the henry's law?

[John Cuthber]

Henry's law says that the amount of a gas that dissolves is directly proportional to the pressure.

So a graph of the amount dissolved versus pressure would be a straight line

 

Here's the graph for haemoglobin

http://www.bio.davidson.edu/Courses/anphys/1999/Dickens/Oxygendissociation.htm

 

It's clearly not a straight line.

So you can't use Henry's law.