An Increase in Respiratory Rate Would Result in a Decrease

Question

An increase in respiratory rate would result in a decrease in all of the following except:
A)carbon dioxide.
B)acidity.
C)pH.
D)hydrogen ions.

Accepted Answer

An increase in respiratory rate leads to more carbon dioxide being exhaled, which in turn reduces the concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood. This decrease in carbon dioxide results in a decrease in hydrogen ions (since CO2 reacts with water to form carbonic acid, which dissociates into hydrogen ions and bicarbonate), leading to a decrease in acidity (since acidity is directly related to the concentration of hydrogen ions). As a result, the pH of the blood increases (becomes less acidic), not decreases. Therefore, an increase in respiratory rate would not result in a decrease in pH; instead, it would result in an increase in pH.