Le Chatelier's Principle and Common Ion Effect - MCAT Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems

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Question

Carbonic anhydrase is an important enzyme that allows CO2 and H2O to be converted into H2CO3. In addition to allowing CO2 to be dissolved into the blood and transported to the lungs for exhalation, the products of the carbonic anhydrase reaction, H2CO3 and a related compound HCO3-, also serve to control the pH of the blood to prevent acidosis or alkalosis. The carbonic anhydrase reaction and acid-base reaction are presented below.

CO2 + H2O H2CO3

H2CO3 HCO3- + H+

The addition of H2CO3 would                      the concentration of HCO3-.

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Answer

This is a Le Chatlier shift problem. When the equilibrium of a chemical reaction is disturbed, the reaction shifts to the side to minimize the change. Here, increasing H2CO3 would shift the reaction to the right to minimize the addition of the acid. Shifting the reaction to the right would thus increase the concentration of HCO3-.

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