Question

Explain how the respiratory center accommodates rising and falling blood pH resulting from carbon dioxide.

Answer 1

Respiratory center accommodates for the rising and falling pH resulting from the carbon dioxide by the following mechanism.

Carbon dioxide is transported in blood by three mechanisms which include 70% as bicarbonate ion , 20% freely floating in blood and 10 % along with hemoglobin.

When the amount of carbon dioxide rises , there is decrease in pH. In the making of bicarbonate ion , one positive hydrogen is released from the water. When there is abundant carbon dioxide, there is also rise in making of bicarbonate ions and thus increase in H+ ions and thus pH decreases.

The respiratory system compensates for this by having chemoreceptors at various within the body. They are able to detect rise and fall in pH.

If the pH is too low then there is increase in the rate of respiration . Due to increased rate of respiration , excess carbon dioxide is removed from the body . Where there is no excess carbon dioxide amount of bicarbonate ions formed is less and pH returns to normal levels.

If the pH is too high in the blood then there is decrease in the rate of respiration . Due to this more carbon dioxide is present and due to more carbon dioxide more bicarbonate ions are formed . This decreases the pH and brings to normal levels.