Final answer:
Electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, calcium, and phosphate play essential roles in the body. They aid in nerve excitability, endocrine secretion, membrane permeability, buffering body fluids, and controlling fluid movement between compartments. Sodium and potassium also maintain osmotic pressure and protect against fluid loss, while calcium and phosphate are crucial for bone, nerve, and muscle function.
Step-by-step explanation:
Roles of Electrolytes in the Body
Electrolytes in living systems include sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, calcium, phosphate, magnesium, copper, zinc, iron, manganese, molybdenum, copper, and chromium. In terms of body functioning, six electrolytes are most important: sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, calcium, and phosphate.
These six ions aid in nerve excitability, endocrine secretion, membrane permeability, buffering body fluids, and controlling the movement of fluids between compartments.
Sodium and potassium maintain normal osmotic pressure in the body and protect the body against excessive loss of fluid.
Calcium and phosphate are crucial for bone formation and maintenance, as well as nerve and muscle function.
Chloride helps maintain acid-base balance and nerve function.
Bicarbonate helps regulate pH balance in the body.