4.2 Carbon dioxide in the blood

Question 1

What is more soluble, CO2 or O2?

Answer 1

CO2

Question 2

What is CO2’s major role in the blood?

Answer 2

Maintaining pH between 7.35 and 7.45

Question 3

What are the products of CO2 reacting with water?

Answer 3

H2CO3 which then splits to HCO3- and H+

Question 4

What does the pH of plasma depend on?

Answer 4

Concentration of HCO3-

Question 5

If pCO2 increases, what happens to the pH of the plasma?

Answer 5

pH decreases, becomes more acidic

Question 6

If pCO2 decreases, what happens to the pH of the plasma?

Answer 6

pH increases, becomes more alkaline

Question 7

What controls the pCO2?

Answer 7

Rate of respiration

Question 8

What prevents CO2 from reacting with water in the plasma?

Answer 8

High HCO3- concentration

Question 9

What enzyme acts as a catalyst for HCO3- production in red blood cells?

Answer 9

Carbonic anhydrase

Question 10

What happens to the H+ ions produces by the CO2 and H2O reaction?

Answer 10

Bind to haemoglobin

Question 11

How are metabolic acids buffered in the body?

Answer 11

H+ ions react with HCO3- to produce CO2 which is breathed out

Question 12

What is the role of the kidney in CO2 control?

Answer 12

Vary amounts of HCO3- secreted

Question 13

How can CO2 travel in the blood apart from dissolving or via haemoglobin?

Answer 13

Bind to proteins