Final answer:
Peripheral chemoreceptors stimulate increased ventilation in response to elevated acidity, to expel carbon dioxide and reduce hydrogen ions, consequently raising the blood pH toward alkalinity.
Step-by-step explanation:
When peripheral chemoreceptors detect elevated acidity in the form of increased carbon dioxide and hydrogen ion levels (falling pH), they respond by initiating a physiological response of increased ventilation. This increase in ventilation is a direct effort to expel carbon dioxide more rapidly, thereby reducing the hydrogen ion concentration and increasing the blood pH, moving it toward a more alkaline state. Since carbon dioxide is acidic when dissolved in blood, removing it leads to a reduction in acidity and a corresponding increase in pH, an underlying aim of the respiratory system to maintain homeostasis.