How can I remember this? Or is there a way to logically understand it?
I've looked in TBR, EK, and the internet so far, and am still looking.
I've looked in TBR, EK, and the internet so far, and am still looking.
HCO3 is a base, yet CO2 is an acid?
- Thread starter Gauss44
- Start date
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2012
- Messages
- 137
- Reaction score
- 111
ftfy
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2011
- Messages
- 1,578
- Reaction score
- 37
CO2 is an acid anhydride. It really is not a (Bronsted/Lowry) acid until it is added to water. Then it becomes carbonic acid (H2CO3). CO2 + H2O --> H2CO3.
Then the carbonic acid can dissociate to make a proton (H+) and bicarbonate ion (HCO3(1-)), newer nomenclature calls it the hydrogen carbonate ion, but it is the same thing. Since the bicarbonate ion is the product of the dissociation, it is the conjugate BASE of carbonic acid. That is why bicarbonate ions are a base.
To take the reaction even further, bicarbonate can dissociate again to make a proton (H+) and the carbonate ion (CO3(2-)). Since carbonate is the conjugate base of the bicarbonate, it is even more basic than bicarbonate.
Together, CO2, HCO3(1-), and CO3(2-) make up the carbonate buffer system. This is very important in blood chemistry. Is would be something you will need to learn for physiology.
hope this helped
dsoz
Then the carbonic acid can dissociate to make a proton (H+) and bicarbonate ion (HCO3(1-)), newer nomenclature calls it the hydrogen carbonate ion, but it is the same thing. Since the bicarbonate ion is the product of the dissociation, it is the conjugate BASE of carbonic acid. That is why bicarbonate ions are a base.
To take the reaction even further, bicarbonate can dissociate again to make a proton (H+) and the carbonate ion (CO3(2-)). Since carbonate is the conjugate base of the bicarbonate, it is even more basic than bicarbonate.
Together, CO2, HCO3(1-), and CO3(2-) make up the carbonate buffer system. This is very important in blood chemistry. Is would be something you will need to learn for physiology.
hope this helped
dsoz
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2012
- Messages
- 632
- Reaction score
- 232
No, CO2 is not an acid anhydride. This is an acid anhydride: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid_anhydride. Carbonic acid is a bicarbonate, and CO2 is just a dicarbonyl with no real functional grouping name.
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2007
- Messages
- 450
- Reaction score
- 71
If you just want to remember without knowing why look at physiology
High levels of CO2 due to decreased resp results in respiratory acidosis
High levels of HCO3- due to kidney disease results in metabolic alkalosis
High levels of CO2 due to decreased resp results in respiratory acidosis
High levels of HCO3- due to kidney disease results in metabolic alkalosis
