Asked in PMC Practice Test 11 (2021) 2021Moderate

During transport of carbon dioxide, blood does not become acidic due to:

Correct answer: A. Blood buffer

  • A. Blood buffer
  • B. Neutralization of H2CO3 by Na2CO3
  • C. Absorption by leukocytes
  • D. Non-accumulation

Explanation

During the transport of carbon dioxide, the blood does not become acidic due to the presence of buffering systems in the blood.When carbon dioxide (CO2) is produced by the body's cells, it diffuses into the blood and combines with water (H2O) to form carbonic acid (H2CO3). Carbonic acid then dissociates into bicarbonate ions (HCO3-) and hydrogen ions (H+), which can contribute to the acidity of the blood if not properly regulated. However, the body has several buffering systems that can help maintain the pH of the blood within a narrow range, even in the presence of excess CO2. One of the most important buffering systems is the bicarbonate buffer system, which involves the reversible reaction between carbonic acid and bicarbonate ions.

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