Question

Discuss the importance of pH and the role of buffers in body fluids and why this is such an important concept to understand for human life.

Answer 1

Answer: A buffer is a chemical substance that helps maintain a relatively constant pH in a solution, even in the face of addition of acids or bases. Buffering is important in living systems as a means of maintaining a fairly constant internal environment, also known as homeostasis. Because all biological processes are dependent on pH, cells and organisms must maintain a specific and constant pH in order to keep their enzymes in the optimum state of protonation. This system provides the maximum buffering capacity near pH 6.86 (the pKa of H2PO4- ). Several substances serve as buffers in the body, including cell and plasma proteins, hemoglobin, phosphates, bicarbonate ions, and carbonic acid. The bicarbonate buffer is the primary buffering system of the IF surrounding the cells in tissues throughout the body.

Explanation:

Hope this could help <3