Final answer:
Without buffers like bicarbonate or phosphate, living things would struggle to maintain homeostasis, which is the stability of the internal environment necessary for survival. Buffers prevent extreme pH changes, critical for various physiological processes in organisms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct option : c
Buffers such as bicarbonate or phosphate are crucial for maintaining homeostasis in living organisms by absorbing excess hydroxide ions to prevent drastic pH changes in the body. Without such buffers, the property that would be directly affected is the ability of living things to maintain a stable internal environment. Homeostasis is the condition of optimal functioning for the organism and includes many variables, such as body temperature and fluid balance.
For example, the human body uses the bicarbonate buffering system to manage the pH levels in our blood, ensuring that it stays within the narrow range necessary for vital biochemical processes to occur. Just as our bodies regulate temperature through sweating and other mechanisms, feedback mechanisms are in place to monitor and adjust our internal pH levels. Organisms constantly interact with their environments, and these interactions affect their internal systems which are adept at compensating for external fluctuations through various feedback mechanisms.
Desert plants and animals have unique adaptations, like the ability to store water or minimize water loss, enabling them to survive in extreme temperatures—this is also a part of maintaining homeostasis. Ultimately, without buffering systems, an organism's ability to maintain homeostasis would be compromised, affecting its health and survival.