RESPIRATORY SYSTEM HELP!!!

Celtics Fan?

(a) At low breathing rates, there is a relatively large amount of carbon dioxide in the blood. CO2 is acidic.

(b) The respirator increases the level of oxygen in the bloodstream. When O2 enters the red blood cells, it binds to hemoglobin. This releases the CO2 from the red blood cell, where it is then exhaled. This raises the pH to normal levels.

(c) The sodium bicarbonate was administered to prevent acidosis from occurring. It does this by reacting with H+ ions in the blood, forming H2CO3. H2CO3 is then converted to free CO2 and H2O by the enzyme carbonic anhydrase. The CO2 gas can then be expelled.

Good Luck