Please Help With This Bio Prac (1 Viewer)

[star*eyed]

I have to preform a first hand investigation to demonstrate the effects if dissolved carbon dioxide on the pH of water. I understand that bit, im going to blow through a straw into water, but the next bit is what confuses me

it says
consider this task in the context of homeostais???????

 

[katie_tully]

Okay that's an easy one!

When you blow CO2 into the water, it changes the pH from roughly neutral to acidic. Because our blood is made mostly of water, you can link this experiment to excess carbon dioxide in the blood stream. Ie, more Co2, the more acidic your blood will become.

As you would know, homeostasis is the maintenance of a constant internal environment. This is because our metabolic functions (metabolism being chemical reactions in the body) require certain conditions to function properly.
Enzymes only work in a limited temperature and pH range (37-40 degrees, and a neutral pH). Once either the pH or the temperature changes, the enzymes can denature, which means they will no longer work.

So, link the following;
- Homeostasis as the maintenance of a constant internal environment for the efficiency of metabolic reactions.
- Excess carbon dioxide in the water decreased the pH so that it was acid.
- Blood is made up mostly of water. A change in pH in blood can be altered through homeostasis, or a negative feedback system.
- An increased rate of carbon dioxide will result in a response such as faster breathing to increase the oxygen in the blood, and therefore counteract the affect of the increased pH

 

[star*eyed]

thank u so much!! I may just pass bio

 

[Bractune]

If the pH of the bodys cells is raised via carbonic acid in blood then several enzymes which code for important metabolic and homeostatic reactions will cease to funtion. Carbonic acid travels through the blood in 3 ways 1) bound to haemaglobin, 2) bound to red blood cells and 3) As carbonic acid in water. In the body the feedback mechanism...(i forget this one) monitors CO2 levels and responds by making the body exhale and inhale oxygen. Infact if you have no CO2 in your blood then technically you cant inhale. You can but nothing will enter your lungs.
Hope that helps, Peace out

 

[Dr_Doom]

Process of cellular respiration. I didn't know the CO2 could be bound to red blood cells. I thought it was either attached to haemoglobin or in the plasma...