Are You a Buffer System Expert?

• The pH of a solution can be affected by the addition or removal of H+ or OH- ions.
• The carbonic-acid-bicarbonate buffer is the most important buffer for maintaining acid-base balance in the blood.
• The equilibrium reactions of interest in the buffer system involve H+, HCO3-, H2CO3, and CO2.
• Three types of reactions can be distinguished from the point of view of acid-base balance: proton-productive, proton-consumptive, and proton-neutral.
• Examples of proton-productive reactions include anaerobic glycolysis, ketogenesis, lipolysis, and ureagenesis.
• Examples of proton-consumptive reactions include gluconeogenesis and neutral and dicarboxylic amino oxidation.
• Examples of proton-neutral reactions include complete glucose oxidation and lipogenesis from glucose acids.
• The pH of the blood is of interest in the buffer system.
• The concentration of H+ can be expressed in terms of an equilibrium constant and the concentrations of the other species in the reaction.
• Buffer systems resist changes in pH.

Test your knowledge of acid-base balance and buffer systems with this quiz! From the importance of pH in the blood to the different types of reactions involved in maintaining acid-base balance, this quiz covers it all. Challenge yourself to identify keywords specific to the topic, including the carbonic-acid-bicarbonate buffer and the different types of reactions involved in proton-production and proton-consumption. See how much you know about buffer systems and how they resist changes in pH. Take the quiz now and put your