Inorganic Ions

Question 1

What are inorganic ions?

Answer 1

They are essential to the skeletal structures.
They are involved in the maintenance of osmotic pressure and are structural constituents in soft tissue.
They are also important for nerve impulse transmission and muscle contraction, and play a vital role in maintaining the pH balance of the body.
They serves as essential components and activators of enzymes, vitamins and hormones

Question 2

Calcium:

Answer 2

Cation
Ca2+
Increase the rigidity of bone, teeth and cartilage and is component of the exoskeleton of crustaceans.
Important in clotting blood and muscle contraction.
Activator of several enzymes, such as lipase, ATPase and cholinesterase.
Stimulates muscle contraction and regulates transmission of nerve impulses.
Regulates permeability of cell membranes.
Important of cell wall development in plants, and formation of middle lamella between cell walls.

Question 3

Sodium:

Answer 3

Cation
Na+
Involved in regulation of osmotic pressure, control of water levels in the body fluid and maintenance of pH.
Affects absorption of carbohydrate in the intestine, and water in the kidney.
Contributes to nervous transmission and muscle contraction.
Constituent of vacuole in plants which helps to maintain turgidity.

Question 4

Potassium:

Answer 4

Cation
K+
Involved in he control of water levels in body fluid and maintenance of pH.
Assists active transport of materials across the cell membrane.
Involved in synthesis of glycogen and protein, and breakdown of glucose.
Generates healthy leaves and flowers in flowering plants.
Contributes to nervous transmission and muscle contraction.
Component of vacuoles in plants, helping to maintain turgidity.

Question 5

Hydrogen:

Answer 5

Cation
H+
Involved in photosynthesis and respiration
Involved in transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood
Involved in the regulation of blood pH.

Question 6

Ammonium:

Answer 6

Cation
NH4+
A component of amino acids, proteins, vitamins and chlorophyll.
Some hormones are made of proteins e.g. insulin
An essential component of nucleic acids
Involved in maintenance of pH in the human body
A component of the nitrogen cycle

Question 7

Nitrate:

Answer 7

Anion
NO3-
A component of amino acids, proteins, vitamins and chlorophyll
An essential component of nucleic acids
Some hormones are made of proteins, which contain nitrogen e.g. insulin
A component of the nitrogen cycle

Question 8

Hydrogencarbonate:

Answer 8

Anion
HC03-
Involved in the regulation of blood pH
Involved in transport of carbon dioxide into and out of the blood

Question 9

Chloride:

Answer 9

Anion
Cl-
Helps in production of urine in the kidney, and maintaining water balance.
Involved in transport of carbon dioxide into and out of the blood.
Regulates, affinity of Haemoglobin to oxygen through allosteric effects on the Haemoglobin molecule
Involved in regulation of blood pH
Used to produce hydrochloric acid in the stomach

Question 10

Phosphate:

Answer 10

Anion
PO43-
Increases rigidity of bone, teeth and cartilage and is a component of the exoskeleton of crustaceans.
Component of phospholipids, ATP, nucleic acids and several important enzymes.
Involved in regulation of blood pH
Helps root growth in plants

Question 11

Hydroxide

Answer 11

Anion
OH-
Involved in the regulation of blood pH

Question 12

What are deficiency’s?

Answer 12

In humans and plants, some ions are required in large amounts (macronutrients or main elements) and some in small amounts (micronutrients or trace elements).
Both humans and plants can display deficiency symptoms if they do not consume enough of a particular ion.
For example, deficiency of the trace element cobalt causes anaemia, while a deficiency of copper in plants causes young shoots to die back.