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In a choking individual, the partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) and the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2) in arterial blood would _________ and ___________, respectively.

a) Increase; increase
b) Increase; decrease
c) Decrease; increase
d) Decrease; decrease

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Final answer:

In a choking individual, the partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) in arterial blood would decrease, while the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2) would increase.

Step-by-step explanation:

In a choking individual, the partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) and the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2) in arterial blood would decrease and increase, respectively.

When a person is choking, their airway is blocked, leading to a decrease in the amount of oxygen reaching the lungs. This results in a decrease in the partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) in arterial blood.

At the same time, the person continues to produce carbon dioxide through cellular respiration. However, since they are unable to exhale properly, the carbon dioxide builds up in the blood, leading to an increase in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2) in arterial blood.

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