Normal arterial blood pH is __________.

• A. slightly acidic
• B. highly acidic
• C. neutral
• D. strongly alkaline
• E. slightly alkaline

Answer: (E)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that pH is a measure of how acidic or basic a solution is, with a scale ranging from 0 to 14.
2. Recall that a pH of 7 is considered neutral, which is the pH of pure water.
3. Recognize that a pH less than 7 indicates an acidic solution, while a pH greater than 7 indicates a basic (alkaline) solution.
4. Know that normal arterial blood pH is slightly above 7, typically around 7.35 to 7.45, indicating it is slightly alkaline.
5. Conclude that the correct description of normal arterial blood pH is 'slightly alkaline', as it is above neutral but not strongly alkaline.