Sometimes, during stress or trauma, a person can start to hyperventilate. Then the person might breathe into a paper bag to avoid fainting.
a. What changes occur in the blood pH during hyperventilation?

Question

Sometimes, during stress or trauma, a person can start to hyperventilate. Then the person might breathe into a paper bag to avoid fainting.

a. What changes occur in the blood pH during hyperventilation?

Accepted Answer

Hello. In this problem, we are told in respiratory alkalosis, a person hyperventilates. Consequently, more carbon dioxide is expelled than usual. How does the following chemical equation explain the change in blood P H during hyperventilation? The chemical equation gives us the hydron ions plus bicarbonate ions in chemical equilibrium with carbonic acid which is in equilibrium with water and carbon dioxide gas. Call that the chalets principle describes how a system initially at a state of chemical equilibrium responds to a stress in order to return the system back to a state of chemical equilibrium. In this case, we have carbon dioxide being removed. This results in a decrease in the rate of the reverse reaction. That then means that the reaction will move in the forward direction by moving in the forward direction, the hydro concentration will decrease which results in an increase in the blood P H. We can also think about the iron product constant of water, which is equal to the hydro concentration multiplied by the hydroxide concentration. And this is equal to one times 10 to minus 14 at degrees Celsius. So the product of the hydro ion concentration and the hydroxide ion concentration remains constant. So if the hydro ion concentration goes down, then the hydroxid I concentration must go up. Increasing the hydroxide ion concentration makes the solution more basic. And basses have a IP H. So the change in blood P H during hyperventilation then is a increase in P H. Thanks for watching. Hope this helped.

Sometimes, during stress or trauma, a person can start to hyperventilate. Then the person might breathe into a paper bag to avoid fainting.
a. What changes occur in the blood pH during hyperventilation?
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Verified video answer for a similar problem:

Key Concepts

Hyperventilation

Blood pH and Acid-Base Balance

Rebreathing Techniques