1 the leaves were performing cellular respiration where did

1. the leaves were performing cellular respiration. where did they get the carbohydrates that they were respiring?

2. describe the role that the carbonic acid acid-bicarbonate system plays in blood chemistry.

Solution

1.The leaves produce carbohydrates i.e glucose by the process of photosynthesis during the day time.They use this carbohydrate to perform cellular respiration,During cellular respiration oxygen is taken in and used to break down the glucose molecules to produce carbon dioxide and release energy in form of ATP.

2.Carbonic acid -bicarbonate plays an important role in blood chemistry by maintaining the correct pH of the blood.Blood contains carbonic acid that is a weak acid and bicarbonate ion that is a base. Together these two help to maintain pH of blood at 7.4. If pH goes below 6.8 or rises above 7.8 we can become sick or may even die.During cellualr metabolism, carbon dioxide is produces that mixes with water in blood to form carbonic acid by the help of the enzyme carbonic anhydrase.When levels of carbonic acid becomes high in blood,the pH of blood decreases and so carbonic acid dissociates to form bicarbonate ion and hydrogen ion thereby restoring the normal pH levels.Similarly when the bicarbonate ions level increases in the blood, the pH of blood increases and bicarbonate ions react with hydrogen ions to form carbonic acid and restore the normal pH levels.