Carbon Dioxide reacts with water in blood plasma to form carbonic acid.Suppose that you are a molecule of carbon dioxide. Describe the chemical reactions that take place when you enter the blood and when you leave the blood. Explain what determines how these reactions occur. Be sure to include all terms from the chapter that are related to the chemical reaction (dont need to include terms)
When you, as a molecule of carbon dioxide (CO2), dissolve into the blood plasma, a series of chemical reactions take place. Carbon dioxide reacts with water (H2O) in the blood plasma to form carbonic acid (H2CO3). This reaction occurs with the help of an enzyme called carbonic anhydrase, which speeds up the reaction by facilitating the conversion of CO2 and H2O into H2CO3.
The chemical reaction can be represented as follows:
CO2 + H2O ⇌ H2CO3
This reaction is reversible, meaning that carbonic acid can also dissociate back into carbon dioxide and water. The equilibrium of this reaction is influenced by several factors, including the concentration of CO2 and H2O, temperature, and the presence of carbonic anhydrase.
When you leave the blood, another set of chemical reactions occur. Carbonic acid (H2CO3) dissociates into a hydrogen ion (H+) and a bicarbonate ion (HCO3-). This reaction, known as dissociation or ionization, is also facilitated by carbonic anhydrase. The equation for the dissociation of carbonic acid can be represented as follows:
H2CO3 ⇌ H+ + HCO3-
The ability of carbonic acid to dissociate depends on the concentration of H2CO3, as well as the concentration of hydrogen ions (H+) and bicarbonate ions (HCO3-) in the blood plasma.
The rates and directions of these reactions are determined by a phenomenon called the law of mass action, which states that the rate of a chemical reaction is proportional to the product of the concentrations of the reactants. In the case of the CO2 reactions in the blood, the concentrations of CO2, H2O, H2CO3, H+, and HCO3- all influence the rates and direction of the reactions.
Additionally, the presence of carbonic anhydrase enzyme greatly enhances the rate of both the formation of carbonic acid from CO2 and water, as well as the dissociation of carbonic acid into hydrogen ions and bicarbonate ions. The enzyme provides a pathway for the reactions to occur more readily by reducing the activation energy required for the reactions to proceed.
Overall, the chemical reactions of carbon dioxide in the blood, involving the formation and dissociation of carbonic acid, are essential in maintaining the delicate acid-base balance in the body.