The binding of oxygen by hemoglobin in the blood involves the equilibrium reaction:

In this equation, Hb is hemoglobin. The pH of normal human blood is highly controlled within a range of 7.35 to 7.45. Given the above equilibrium, why is this important? What would happen to the oxygen-carrying capacity of hemoglobin if blood became too acidic (a dangerous condition known as acidosis)?

Transcribed Image Text:

HbH+ (aq) + O₂(aq) = HbO₂(aq) + H+(aq)