During exercise, our body produces lactic acid as a bi-product in the production of ATP.
Referring to the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), eventually, with persistent exercise, our body's metabolism exceeds the oxygen supply and begins to use alternative biochemical processes that do not require oxygen. These processes generate lactic acid, which enters the blood stream. The link between lactic acid and pH is that lactic acid can acidify ones bloodstream, leading to acidosis and possible death, however, we have buffers to prevent those pH imbalances.
A buffer solution is used to maintain the pH at a safe acidity. “A buffer solution is an aqueous solution consisting of a mixture of a weak acid and its conjugate base or a weak …show more content…
This brings us to the Le Chatelier’s principle, of “Restoring Balance”
This particular essay will be focusing on the Carbonic Acid-Bicarbonate Buffer. As with any buffer system, the pH is balanced by the presence of both weak acid (H2CO3) and conjugate base (HCO3-) so that any excess acid or base introduced to the system is neutralized. This can be seen in Equation 2:
Carbonic acid (H2CO3) is a weak acid and is therefore in equilibrium with bicarbonate (HCO3-) in solution. When significant amounts of both carbonic acid and bicarbonate are present, a buffer is formed. This buffer system can be written as:
Since carbonic acid is not stable in aqueous solutions some of it decomposes to form carbon dioxide and water. The respiratory system is responsible for eliminating this carbon dioxide. This can be expressed in equation …show more content…
Consequently, this will cause an increase in the concentration of H+ ions and resulting in a lower blood pH. The exercise will cause the body to turn to an alternative biochemical process that produces lactic acid, which enters the bloodstream. Both of these changes, unless counteracted by the action of buffer, will cause the pH of the blood to lower, hence, acidosis occurs.
This demonstrates that the pH of blood is dependent on the ratio of concentration of CO2 to the concentration of HCO3-. When exercising the extra H+ ions are being produced due to the lactic acid produced from metabolic processes, and the amount of HCO3- relative to the amount of CO2 will decrease. Usually, the lungs remove excess CO2 from the body to help heighten the pH and the kidneys remove HCO3- to lower the pH. This buffer system is crucial in maintaining the pH of blood when exercising regardless of its
Referring to the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), eventually, with persistent exercise, our body's metabolism exceeds the oxygen supply and begins to use alternative biochemical processes that do not require oxygen. These processes generate lactic acid, which enters the blood stream. The link between lactic acid and pH is that lactic acid can acidify ones bloodstream, leading to acidosis and possible death, however, we have buffers to prevent those pH imbalances.
A buffer solution is used to maintain the pH at a safe acidity. “A buffer solution is an aqueous solution consisting of a mixture of a weak acid and its conjugate base or a weak …show more content…
This brings us to the Le Chatelier’s principle, of “Restoring Balance”
This particular essay will be focusing on the Carbonic Acid-Bicarbonate Buffer. As with any buffer system, the pH is balanced by the presence of both weak acid (H2CO3) and conjugate base (HCO3-) so that any excess acid or base introduced to the system is neutralized. This can be seen in Equation 2:
Carbonic acid (H2CO3) is a weak acid and is therefore in equilibrium with bicarbonate (HCO3-) in solution. When significant amounts of both carbonic acid and bicarbonate are present, a buffer is formed. This buffer system can be written as:
Since carbonic acid is not stable in aqueous solutions some of it decomposes to form carbon dioxide and water. The respiratory system is responsible for eliminating this carbon dioxide. This can be expressed in equation …show more content…
Consequently, this will cause an increase in the concentration of H+ ions and resulting in a lower blood pH. The exercise will cause the body to turn to an alternative biochemical process that produces lactic acid, which enters the bloodstream. Both of these changes, unless counteracted by the action of buffer, will cause the pH of the blood to lower, hence, acidosis occurs.
This demonstrates that the pH of blood is dependent on the ratio of concentration of CO2 to the concentration of HCO3-. When exercising the extra H+ ions are being produced due to the lactic acid produced from metabolic processes, and the amount of HCO3- relative to the amount of CO2 will decrease. Usually, the lungs remove excess CO2 from the body to help heighten the pH and the kidneys remove HCO3- to lower the pH. This buffer system is crucial in maintaining the pH of blood when exercising regardless of its