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Topic: dissociation of bicarbonate ions  (Read 6463 times)

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Lee

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dissociation of bicarbonate ions
« on: March 06, 2005, 08:24:49 AM »
can any 1 explain to me how bicarbonate ions dissociate in water to produce higher concentrations of carbondioxide?

Offline Borek

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Re:dissociation of bicarbonate ions
« Reply #1 on: March 06, 2005, 11:07:46 AM »
can any 1 explain to me how bicarbonate ions dissociate in water to produce higher concentrations of carbondioxide?

Two hydrolysis steps are necessary to get from bicarbonate anion to H2CO3. As the carbonic acid is rather weak one hydrolysis is easy here. H2CO3 is unstable and it easily decomposes.
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Re:dissociation of bicarbonate ions
« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2005, 11:15:26 AM »
Bicarbonate is a buffer found in blood plasma.  Three equilibria are involved:

CO2(g) <=> CO2(dissolved)

CO2(dissolved) + H2O(l) <=> H2CO3(aq)

H2CO3(aq) + H2O(l) <=> H3O+(aq) + HCO3-(aq)
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