Final answer:
The Henderson-Hasselbalch equation for the bicarbonate/carbonic acid buffer system is pH = pKa + log([base]/[acid]), which is essential for calculating the pH of blood plasma. The equation is most accurate when concentrations are significantly higher than the acid dissociation constant (Ka) values.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Henderson-Hasselbalch equation is utilized within the field of Chemistry to calculate the pH of buffer solutions, which is especially pertinent to the bicarbonate/carbonic acid buffer system in blood plasma.
This equation is given as pH = pKa + log([base]/[acid]). When applied to the bicarbonate/carbonic acid buffer system, the pKa is often considered to be around 6.35 at physiological temperatures, and the concentrations of bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻) and carbonic acid (H₂CO₃) are essential for making this calculation. For the blood plasma buffering system, these values significantly differ due to metabolic processes that introduce acids into the bloodstream, requiring a higher concentration of base (bicarbonate) to maintain pH stability.
It's important to note that the validity of this equation is best suited for solutions where the concentration is at least 100 times greater than their Ka values. Using this approximation, and given the pK₂ of carbonic acid at body temperature along with the concentrations of HCO₃⁻ and H₂CO₃, one can determine the pH of blood.