Final answer:
The normal blood pH level ranges from 7.35 to 7.45, making it slightly alkaline. The bicarbonate buffering system is essential in maintaining this pH, ensuring enzymes and metabolic processes function correctly.
Step-by-step explanation:
The normal blood pH of a healthy person ranges between 7.35 to 7.45. This measurement indicates that blood is slightly more alkaline than neutral water, which has a pH of 7.0. The body's buffering system, predominantly the bicarbonate system, plays a critical role in maintaining this pH level within the narrow range, which is vital for the proper functioning of enzymes and overall metabolic processes. A deviation outside this range can lead to medical problems such as acidosis if the pH drops too low, or alkalosis if it rises too high, with alkalosis being more potentially fatal than acidosis.