Final answer:
Changes in temperature can affect hemoglobin saturation. Higher temperatures promote dissociation, leading to decreased saturation, while lower temperatures inhibit dissociation, leading to increased saturation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Changes in temperature can affect hemoglobin saturation. Higher temperatures promote hemoglobin and oxygen to dissociate faster, while lower temperatures inhibit dissociation.
This means that at higher temperatures, hemoglobin will release oxygen more readily, resulting in decreased saturation, while at lower temperatures, hemoglobin will hold onto oxygen more tightly, resulting in increased saturation.
The effect of temperature on the oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve can be observed in Figure 22.26, middle graph.