Exemplar Problems

Question:

How is carbon dioxide primarily transported in the bloodstream, and what are the main forms in which it is carried?

Answer:

Carbon dioxide produced in body tissues primarily diffuses into nearby capillaries. In the bloodstream, the majority of carbon dioxide is carried in the form of bicarbonate ions (HCO3-) dissolved in plasma. A smaller fraction of carbon dioxide binds to hemoglobin for transport back to the lungs.