What term is another name for bicarbonate in blood chemistry?

What term is another name for bicarbonate in blood chemistry?

• A. Bicarbonate
• B. Hydrogen carbonate
• C. Carbonic acid
• D. Chloride

Answer: (B)

Hydrogen carbonate is another name for bicarbonate in blood chemistry. The bicarbonate ion carries a negative charge as HCO3−, and hydrogen carbonate is simply its systematic name reflecting one hydrogen attached to the carbonate. This ion is the main extracellular buffer, helping to keep blood pH stable by reacting with acids and bases. It forms from carbonic acid (H2CO3), produced when CO2 combines with water in tissues; carbonic anhydrase speeds this reaction, and H2CO3 dissociates into H+ and HCO3−, with the bicarbonate then carried in plasma (often swapped for chloride in the chloride shift). In the lungs, the process reverses to release CO2. The other terms aren’t synonyms: carbonic acid is the undissociated form, and chloride is a different anion.

Hydrogen carbonate is another name for bicarbonate in blood chemistry. The bicarbonate ion carries a negative charge as HCO3−, and hydrogen carbonate is simply its systematic name reflecting one hydrogen attached to the carbonate. This ion is the main extracellular buffer, helping to keep blood pH stable by reacting with acids and bases. It forms from carbonic acid (H2CO3), produced when CO2 combines with water in tissues; carbonic anhydrase speeds this reaction, and H2CO3 dissociates into H+ and HCO3−, with the bicarbonate then carried in plasma (often swapped for chloride in the chloride shift). In the lungs, the process reverses to release CO2. The other terms aren’t synonyms: carbonic acid is the undissociated form, and chloride is a different anion.