Question

4. Oxygenating myoglobin. The myoglobin content of some human muscles is about 8 g kg 1. In sperm whale, the myoglobin content of muscle is about 80 g kg 1 . (a) How much O 2 is bound to myoglobin in human muscle and in sperm whale muscle? Assume that the myoglobin is saturated with O 2, and that the molecular weights of human and sperm whale myoglobin are the same. Berg, Jeremy M.. Biochemistry (p. 213). W. H. Freeman. Kindle Edition.

Answer 1

0.01454 grams of oxygen is present per kilogram of human muscle.

0.1454 grams of oxygen is present per kilogram of sperm whale muscle.

Step-by-step explanation:

Given : The myoglobin is fully saturated with oxygen gas.

Moles of myoglobin = Moles of oxygen gas

Molecular mass of myoglobin = 17,600 g/mol

(assumed same fro whale and human )

Myoglobin content in humans = 8 g/kg

Mole of molyoglobin in human muscles per kg :
`(8 g/kg)/(17,600 g/mol)`

Mass of oxygen present in per kg of human muscle:

Moles of oxygen gas × 32g/mol :

`(8 g/kg)/(17,600 g/mol)* 32 g/mol=0.01454` g/kg of human muscle

Myoglobin content in whales= 80 g/kg

Mole of molyoglobin in whale muscles per kg :
`(80 g/kg)/(17,600 g/mol)`

Moles of myoglobin = Moles of oxygen gas

Mass of oxygen present in per kg of sperm whale muscle:

Moles of oxygen gas × 32g/mol :

`(80 g/kg)/(17,600 g/mol)* 32 g/mol=0.1454` g/kg of whale muscle