If Drug Y passively diffused more effectively than Drug Z in a local environment with a pH of 3,what should be concluded?
A) Drug Y produced more ionized molecules than Drug Z
B) The administration route for Drug Y was more effective than Drug Z.
C) The pKa value of Drug Y was closer to 3 than the pKa of Drug Z.
D) The local environment had a large surface area

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Passive diffusion is affected by the degree of ionization of a drug, which is in turn affected by its pKa value. The lower the pH of the environment, the more likely the drug will be in its ionized form. Therefore, if Drug Y is diffusing more effectively than Drug Z in an acidic environment, it suggests that Drug Y is more likely to be unionized, which would occur if its pKa value was closer to the pH of the environment (in this case, pH 3). The administration route, surface area, or production of ionized molecules are not necessarily related to the effectiveness of passive diffusion in an acidic environment.

If Drug Y Passively Diffused More Effectively Than Drug Z