Reversible Reaction Pathways

Question 1

How does gas exchange happen at respiring Tissues?

Answer 1

• Respiring cells releases carbon dioxide
• CO2 diffuses into blood plasma
• CO2 diffuses into ethroyctes
• CO2 an water react to form carbonic acid
• reaction catalysed by carbon anhydrase
• carbon acid dissociates to form hydrogen and hydrogen carbonate ions
• hydrogen carbonate ions diffuses into the blood plasma
• chloride ions diffuse into ethrocytes to replace hydrogen ions - chloride shift
• the dissociate hydrogen ions reacts with haemoglobinic acid and the oxygen is releases

Question 1

How does gas exchange happen at the lungs?

Answer 1

• Oxygen diffuses from the alvelous into erythrocytes down a concentration gradient
• oxygen reacts with haemoglobinic acid to release hydrogen ions and produce oxyhaemoglobin
• chloride ions diffuse back
  hydrogen carbonate ions and hydrogen reacts to form carbonic acid is broken down into water and carbon dioxide
• catalysed by anhydrase
• carbin dioxide diffuses out of the blood plasma into the alvelous
• carbon dioxide is breathed out.