Question

12. The most rapid acting buffer system is the:

A) plasma buffer system
B) respiratory buffer system
C) renal buffer system
D) potassium-hydrogen exchange

Answer 1

The most rapid acting buffer system is the respiratory buffer system, which can adjust blood pH in a matter of seconds to minutes by exhaling CO2.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most rapid acting buffer system in the human body is the respiratory buffer system. This system works by adjusting the blood pH through the exhaling of carbon dioxide (CO2), which occurs within seconds to minutes. In comparison, the renal buffer system can also regulate blood pH by excreting hydrogen ions (H+) and conserving bicarbonate (HCO3−), but this adjustments take hours to days to become effective. The plasma buffer system, including the bicarbonate buffer, can make rapid chemical adjustments to pH, while the role of the potassium-hydrogen exchange is more specific and not considered the most rapid.

Therefore, the correct answer to the question, "The most rapid acting buffer system is the:" is B) respiratory buffer system.