Acoustic Properties of Hemoglobin Solutions

Abstract

Absorption and velocity of sound in the range 0.5 to 10 Mc have been measured for solutions of hemoglobin under various conditions of temperature, concentration, and chemical environment. The hemoglobins of several species of mammals and different chemical forms of hemoglobin have been studied. In the absorption per wavelength only minor variations with frequency have been observed. Dispersion in the velocity of sound of these solutions has been measured. It has been possible to relate quantitatively the magnitude of the absorption and dispersion through relaxation theory by assuming broad distribution of relaxation times.