Question

The symptoms of hyperventilation, like dizziness and light-headedness may be averted by breathing into a paper bag because it __________.

1) increases the level of carbon dioxide in the blood
2) decreases the level of carbon dioxide in the blood
3) increases the level of oxygen in the blood
4) decreases the level of oxygen in the blood

Answer 1

Breathing into a paper bag during hyperventilation helps to increase the level of carbon dioxide in the blood, which corrects the blood pH towards normal and alleviates symptoms such as dizziness.

Step-by-step explanation:

The symptoms of hyperventilation, like dizziness and light-headedness, may be averted by breathing into a paper bag because it increases the level of carbon dioxide in the blood. When a person hyperventilates, they exhale too much CO2, which causes the blood to become too alkaline, a condition known as alkalosis. By rebreathing into a paper bag, the individual inhales some of the CO2 they just exhaled, thereby increasing the CO2 levels in their blood and correcting the blood pH back towards normal levels. This process helps to alleviate the undesirable symptoms associated with hyperventilation.