AQA AS Biology paper 2 2019

Scientists measured the oxygen-carrying capacity of seal blood. They found the haemoglobin in a 190kg seal contained 10700cm3 oxygen. When the seal dived, it used 5.2 cm3 oxygen per minute per kg of body mass. Use this information to calculate the maximum number of minutes the seal can remain underwater. Assume that all of the oxygen attached to the haemoglobin is released during the dive.
How do I find the answer to this question?

Reply 1

Cedric Fred

To find the maximum number of minutes the seal can remain underwater, you can follow these steps:

1. Calculate the total amount of oxygen that can be released by the seal during the dive:
Total Oxygen = Haemoglobin * Oxygen-Carrying Capacity
= 10700 cm^3 * 190 kg

2. Calculate the total oxygen consumed per minute during the dive:
Oxygen Consumed per minute = Oxygen Consumption per minute per kg * Body Mass
= 5.2 cm^3/min/kg * 190 kg

3. Divide the total oxygen available by the oxygen consumed per minute to find the maximum number of minutes the seal can remain underwater:
Maximum Minutes = Total Oxygen / Oxygen Consumed per minute

By calculating these values, you should be able to determine the maximum number of minutes the seal can sustain itself underwater.

Original post by Smith17