Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

Why is blood more acidic when it picks up Carbon Dioxide?

Rather simple question, can't elaborate much more than that.

2 Answers

Relevance
  • 8 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    Well ... Since it's a simple question (which is the way i like them btw) here's your simple answer.

    Co2 is an acidic gas so to speak. Why? Because it can dissolve in water and react with it. Creating a weak aced called carbonic acid H2CO3. And since it's a weak acid it dissociated right after it's formation. The trick? It doesn't dissociate into it's components. It dissociate into bicarbonate HCO3 and hydrogen ions H which markdly lower the pH (increasing the blood acidity) i really hope i made sens.

    Source(s): This year renal physiology course.
  • 8 years ago

    Carbon dioxide (CO2) dissociates in water (plasma) to become a weak carbonic acid (H2CO3). Carbonic acid is acidic as it has the ability to donate protons (H+).

Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.