ON THE ALVEOLAR CO2 TENSION FOLLOWING VIGOROUS MUSCULAR EXERCISE

Abstract

Employing the sampling method of Henderson and Haggard some 21 experiments are analyzed from 2 subjects, at 5-, 3- and 2-min. intervals for 40 min. periods. The figures expressing the CO2 tension in alveolar air during recovery from a short period of vigorous exercise when plotted present a curve which is concaved downward and which is roughly the inverse of the published curves of lactic acid disappearance from the blood, and of the disappearance of O debt. This is interpreted to mean that the chemical processes giving rise to the behavior of the CO2 tension are governed by the law of mass action and not by a limitation of an available enzyme.