Question

What pH must organisms maintain?

Answer 1

Organisms must maintain a pH that is suitable for their specific environmental and biological requirements, with neutrophiles preferring near neutral pH, acidophiles thriving in acidic conditions, and alkaliphiles in basic environments. Human cells operate within a narrow pH range, and significant deviations can lead to health problems.

Step-by-step explanation:

The pH that organisms must maintain depends largely on their specific environment and biological needs. For instance, neutrophiles like bacteria grow best at a neutral pH close to 7.0. In contrast, acidophiles thrive at pH around 3.0, and alkaliphiles prefer a more basic environment, optimally between pH 8 and 10.5. Every organism has its own minimum growth pH and maximum growth pH, which dictate the range in which they can survive.

While many organisms regulate their internal pH to be close to neutral, some like stomach lining cells in humans cannot maintain the near-neutral pH internally due to the highly acidic environment they exist in. The stomach compensates for this by regularly regenerating its lining. Human cells typically function within a narrow pH range of 7.2 to 7.6, and deviations outside this range can result in significant health issues or even death.

Answer 2

The pH value indicates the degree of acidity or alkalinity of a solution. In this case, the human body fluids. When the value is 0, the pH is acid, it is 14, we speak of an alkaline pH, and 7 indicates a neutral value. Inside the body, the pH may vary according to the body, and the specialists argue that do not have to be the same everywhere.