For every 1°C increase in temperature, the multiplying factor for pO2 is:

For every 1°C increase in temperature, the multiplying factor for pO2 is:

• A. 7
• B. 3
• C. 1
• D. 0.5

Answer: (A)

Temperature strongly affects how much oxygen can be carried dissolved in solution and how readily oxygen is released to tissues. In some clinical chemistry problems, a quick way to account for this is to apply a temperature correction factor to pO2. The model used in this question treats the change in pO2 with each 1°C rise as a large, multiplicative adjustment, about 7 times per degree. That’s why the best choice is 7. The other factors (3, 1, 0.5) imply much weaker or opposite effects and don’t fit the assumed temperature- correction relationship used in this context.

Temperature strongly affects how much oxygen can be carried dissolved in solution and how readily oxygen is released to tissues. In some clinical chemistry problems, a quick way to account for this is to apply a temperature correction factor to pO2. The model used in this question treats the change in pO2 with each 1°C rise as a large, multiplicative adjustment, about 7 times per degree. That’s why the best choice is 7. The other factors (3, 1, 0.5) imply much weaker or opposite effects and don’t fit the assumed temperature- correction relationship used in this context.