What is formed when carbon dioxide and water react?

When carbon dioxide and water react, they form carbonic acid, which is represented by the chemical equation CO2 + H2O ↔ H2CO3. This reaction is an essential component of the carbonic acid-bicarbonate buffer system that helps regulate pH levels in biological systems, particularly in the blood.

Carbonic acid plays a crucial role in respiratory physiology because it is formed during cellular respiration and serves as a temporary storage form for CO2 in the body. Upon dissociation, carbonic acid can release bicarbonate and hydrogen ions, demonstrating its importance in maintaining acid-base balance. This process is vital for neonatal care, as preterm infants can have an immature respiratory system that may be less effective in managing carbon dioxide levels, making an understanding of this reaction particularly relevant in neonatal intensive care nursing.

The other substances listed are involved in related biological processes but are not direct products of the reaction between carbon dioxide and water. Bicarbonate can form from the dissociation of carbonic acid but is not a direct result of the initial reaction. Hydrogen ions are released subsequently when carbonic acid dissociates, and oxygen is not produced from this reaction under standard conditions.