3.1.2: Haemoglobin

Question 1

What is the process called that maintains the electrical balance of red blood cells during gas exchange?

Answer 1

Chloride shift

The chloride shift involves the diffusion of chloride ions into red blood cells in exchange for carbonic acids diffusing out.

Question 2

What are the three forms in which carbon dioxide (CO₂) is carried in the blood?

Answer 2

• Carbonic acids
• HCO₃⁻ dissolved in plasma
• CO₂ dissolved in plasma

These forms represent the different ways CO₂ is transported in the circulatory system.

Question 3

Fill in the blank: The chemical reaction for carbonic acid formation is CO₂ + H₂O ↔ _______.

Answer 3

H₂CO₃

This reaction illustrates how carbon dioxide reacts with water to form carbonic acid.

Question 4

True or False: The chloride shift involves the movement of positive ions into red blood cells.

Answer 4

False

The chloride shift involves the movement of negative ions, specifically chloride ions, into red blood cells.

Question 5

What happens to carbonic acids during the chloride shift?

Answer 5

They diffuse out of the red blood cells

This diffusion is part of maintaining the electrical balance within the cells.