Chapter 5, Problem 5.8E

The hemoglobin in blood establishes an equilibrium with oxygen gas very quickly. The equilibrium can be represented as

$\text{heme}+{\text{O}}_2\rightleftharpoons \text{heme}\cdot {\text{O}}_2$

where “heme” stands for hemoglobin and “ $\text{heme}{\text{O}}_2$” stands for the hemoglobin-oxygen complex. The value for the equilibrium constant for this reaction is about $9.2\times {10}^{18}$. Carbon monoxide also binds with hemoglobin by the following reaction:

$\text{heme}+\text{CO}\rightleftharpoons \text{heme}\cdot \text{CO}$

This reaction has an equilibrium constant of $2.3\times {10}^{23}$. Which reaction’s equilibrium lies farther toward products? Does your answer justify the toxicity of $\text{CO}$?