pH is A) equal to log 1/[H⁺] B) equal to pK + log [HCO₃^-]/[CO₂] C) low when acidosis is present D) both equal to log 1/[H⁺] and pK + log [HCO₃^-]/[CO₂] E) all of these

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of a solution. It is defined as the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration. Therefore, pH is equal to log 1/[H+]. pH is also related to the bicarbonate buffer system, which is important in regulating the pH of blood. The bicarbonate buffer system is composed of carbonic acid (H2CO3), bicarbonate ion (HCO3-), and carbon dioxide (CO2). The equilibrium constant for the bicarbonate buffer system is:H2CO3 <=> H+ + HCO3-The pK for the bicarbonate buffer system is 6.1. Therefore, pH is also equal to pK + log [HCO3-]/[CO2]. When acidosis is present, the pH of the blood is low. This is because acidosis is caused by an increase in the concentration of hydrogen ions.

PH Is