The p50 of myoglobin is less than the p50 of adult hemoglobin , the affinity of adult hemoglobin for oxygen is

Options

A. is less than myoglobin
B. is more than myoglobin
C. is equal to myoglobin
D. is nil

Answer

To solve the question regarding the affinity of adult hemoglobin for oxygen in relation to the p50 values of myoglobin and adult hemoglobin, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understand the Concept of p50**:
- p50 refers to the partial pressure of oxygen at which 50% of the binding sites of a molecule (like myoglobin or hemoglobin) are occupied by oxygen.
- A lower p50 value indicates that a molecule can become saturated with oxygen at a lower partial pressure, implying a higher affinity for oxygen.

2. **Compare p50 Values**:
- The question states that the p50 of myoglobin is less than the p50 of adult hemoglobin.
- This means that myoglobin requires a lower partial pressure of oxygen to achieve 50% saturation compared to adult hemoglobin.

3. **Infer Affinity from p50 Values**:
- Since myoglobin has a lower p50, it has a higher affinity for oxygen.
- Conversely, adult hemoglobin, having a higher p50, has a lower affinity for oxygen compared to myoglobin.

4. **Conclusion**:
- Given that myoglobin has a higher affinity for oxygen (lower p50), it follows that adult hemoglobin has a lower affinity for oxygen (higher p50).
- Therefore, the answer to the question is that the affinity of adult hemoglobin for oxygen is lower than that of myoglobin.

### Final Answer:
The affinity of adult hemoglobin for oxygen is lower than that of myoglobin.

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