Blood Buffer - Prelab Questions

Prelab Questions



1. Predict whether each of the following would increase or decrease blood pH. Explain your reasoning.
    a. excessive crying
    b. excessive vomiting
    c. barbiturate (depressant) overdose
    d. severe asthma or lung obstruction/damage
    e. antacid overdose
    f. starvation (results in protein metabolism and the overproduction of metabolic acids)
    g. cardiac failure (insufficient blood circulation)
    h. an IV injection of lactated Ringers (which contains the base lactate)

2. A patient is found to have a blood pH of 7.5. Which could be used as treatment?
    a. encouraging deep breathing
    b. discouraging deep breathing
    c. administering NaHCO3
    d. administering NH4Cl

3. Severely burned accident victims often experience a lowering of blood pH. A reduction in blood volume reduces transport of O2 to body tissues and increases the production of lactic acid.

    a. Explain why overproduction of lactic acid lowers blood pH.
    b. How is the above description similar to that for over exertion? How is it different?

4. A child and an adult are each found to have extreme acidosis. If the adult should receive 100ml of a 0.2%(w/v) NaHCO3 solution, which might be appropriate for the child?
    a. 200 ml of 0.2%(w/v) NaHCO3
    b. 100 ml of 0.3%(w/v) NaHCO3
    c. 100 ml of 0.15%(w/v) NaHCO3

5. The kidneys function to help maintain blood pH. In one process they convert CO2 in the blood into HCO3-. Would this raise or lower blood pH?



This completes the prelab. Begin the experiment.


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