For every 1 unit of carbonic acid produced, how many units of sodium bicarbonate are necessary?

In understanding the relationship between carbonic acid and sodium bicarbonate, it is essential to recognize their roles in the bicarbonate buffering system in the human body. For every one unit of carbonic acid (H2CO3) produced, the body requires a corresponding balance from bicarbonate (HCO3-) to maintain pH levels and overall homeostasis.

The correct answer indicates that for every unit of carbonic acid, twenty units of sodium bicarbonate are necessary to manage the acid-base balance effectively. This ratio works on the principle that sodium bicarbonate acts as a buffer, helping to neutralize the acidity of carbonic acid.

Sodium bicarbonate plays a crucial role in the respiratory and metabolic processes, helping to absorb excess hydrogen ions generated from carbonic acid and regulate pH levels in the body. The precise stoichiometry in various physiological and biochemical reactions reflects this balance, emphasizing that maintaining stability in body fluids is essential to health.

Other numbers would not align with the established physiological relationships in normal human metabolism. The incorrect options suggest different ratios that do not accurately represent the buffering capacity or requirements needed to counteract the presence of carbonic acid produced during metabolic processes. The standard understood and validated ratio is one unit of carbonic acid to 20