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Respiration
At 03:48 PM 8/15/98 -0400, George Booth fantasized:
>Although my knowledge of blood chemistry is spotty, I believe the
>hemoglobin in the blood carries both CO2 and O2 molecules;
Nope. O2 travels complexed with Hbg as O, CO2 travels as carbonic acid
(which is why high CO2 levels in the water inhibiting CO2 expiration leads
to acidosis (hi blood pH).
> the gills essentially swap them with the opposite molecules in the water.
Nope. Getting rid of CO2 requires (relatively) low CO2 concentration in
the water..
Acquiring O2 depends on oxygen tension in the water..
> if there was a low oxygen level in
>the water (wrong concentration gradient; no transfer of O2 into the blood).
>
This is right.
--
Dave Gomberg, San Francisco mailto:gomberg at wcf_com
FormMaestro <http://www.wcf.com>
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