04:01
Chemistry A Molecular Approach
The binding of oxygen by hemoglobin in the blood involves the equilibrium reaction:
$$\mathrm{HbH}^{+}(a q)+\mathrm{O}_{2}(a q) \rightleftharpoons \mathrm{HbO}_{2}(a q)+\mathrm{H}^{+}(a q)$$
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)?