Fluid & Electrolyte Chapter 41
Questions And Answers | Correct
Solutions | 2026 Update
Acidosis - Ans--...
Location and Movement of Water and Electrolytes - Ans--Water makes up a
substantial proportion of body weight. In fact, about 60% of the body weight
of an adult man is water. This proportion decreases with age; approximately
50% of an older man's weight is water. Women typically have less water
content than men. Obese people have less water in their bodies than lean
people because fat contains less water than muscle. The term fluid means
water that contains dissolved or suspended substances such as glucose,
mineral salts, and proteins.
ICF & ECF - Ans--Body fluids are located in two distinct compartments:
extracellular fluid (ECF) outside the cells, and intracellular fluid (ICF) inside
the cells
In adults ICF is approximately two thirds of total body water. ECF is
approximately one third of total body water. ECF has two major divisions
(intravascular fluid and interstitial fluid) and a minor division (transcellular
fluids). Intravascular fluid is the liquid portion of the blood (i.e., the plasma).
Interstitial fluid is located between the cells and outside the blood vessels.
Transcellular fluids such as cerebrospinal, pleural, peritoneal, and synovial
fluids are secreted by epithelial cells
Electrolytes - Ans--Fluid in the body compartments contains mineral salts
known technically as electrolytes. An electrolyte is a compound that
separates into ions (charged particles) when it dissolves in water. Element
or compound that, when melted or dissolved in water or other solvent,
dissociates into ions and can carry an electrical current.
Cations - Ans--Ions that are positively charged are called cations; ions that
are negatively charged are called anions. Cations in body fluids are sodium
(Na+), potassium (K+), calcium (Ca2+), and magnesium ions (Mg2+).
,Anions - Ans--Anions in body fluids are chloride (Cl−) and bicarbonate ( ).
Anions and cations combine to make salts. If you put table salt (NaCl) in
water, it separates into Na+ and Cl−
Osmolality - Ans--Osmolality of a fluid is a measure of the number of
particles per kilogram of water. Some particles (e.g., urea) pass easily
through cell membranes; others such as Na+ cannot cross easily. The
particles that cannot cross cell membranes easily (nonpermeant particles)
determine tonicity of a fluid
Isotonic - Ans--Situation in which two solutions have the same
concentration of solute; therefore both solutions exert the same osmotic
pressure.
Hypotonic - Ans--Situation in which one solution has a smaller
concentration of solute than another; therefore the first solution exerts less
osmotic pressure.
Hypertonic - Ans--Situation in which one solution has a greater
concentration of solute than another; therefore the first solution exerts
greater osmotic pressure.
Laboratory Normal Values for Adults - Ans--NORMAL VALUE IN SERUM
OR BLOOD
Osmolality 280-300 mOsm/kg H2O (280-300 mmol/kg H2O)
Electrolytes
Sodium (Na+)136-145 mEq/L (136-145 mmol/L)
Potassium (K+) 3.5-5.0 mEq/L (3.5-5 mmol/L)
Chloride (Cl−) 98-106 mEq/L (98-106 mmol/L)
Total CO2 (CO2 total content) 22-30 mEq/L (22-30 mmol/L)
Bicarbonate ( HCO3)
, Arterial 22-26 mEq/L (22-26 mmol/L)
Venous 24-30 mEq/L (24-30 mmol/L)
Total calcium (Ca2+) 8.4-10.5 mg/dL (2.1-2.6 mmol/L)
Ionized calcium (Ca2+) 4.5-5.3 mg/dL (1.1-1.3 mmol/L)
Magnesium (Mg2+) 1.5-2.5 mEq/L (0.75-1.25 mmol/L)
Phosphate (PO 3-/4) (Potter 884)
Potter, Patricia, Anne Perry, Patricia Stockert, Amy Hall. Fundamentals of
Nursing, 8th Edition. Mosby, 2013. VitalBook file. ) 2.7-4.5 mg/dL (0.87-
1.45 mmol/L)
Anion gap 5-11 mEq/L (5-11 mmol/L)
Arterial Blood Gases pH 7.35-7.45
PaCO2 35-45 mm Hg (4.7-6 kPa)
PaO2 80-100 mm Hg (10.7-13.3 kPa)
O2 saturation 95%-100% (0.95-1.00)
Base excess −2 to +2 mmol/L
Movement of Water and Electrolytes - Ans--Active transport, diffusion,
osmosis, and filtration are processes that move water and electrolytes
between body compartments. These processes maintain equal osmolality
in all compartments while allowing for different electrolyte concentrations.
Active Transport - Ans--Movement of materials across the cell membrane
by means of chemical activity that allows the cell to admit larger molecules
than would otherwise be possible. Active transport requires energy in the
form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to move electrolytes across cell
membranes against the concentration gradient (from areas of lower
concentration to areas of higher concentration). One example of active
transport is the sodium-potassium pump, which moves Na+ out of a cell and
K+ into it, keeping ICF lower in Na+ and higher in K+ than the ECF.
Questions And Answers | Correct
Solutions | 2026 Update
Acidosis - Ans--...
Location and Movement of Water and Electrolytes - Ans--Water makes up a
substantial proportion of body weight. In fact, about 60% of the body weight
of an adult man is water. This proportion decreases with age; approximately
50% of an older man's weight is water. Women typically have less water
content than men. Obese people have less water in their bodies than lean
people because fat contains less water than muscle. The term fluid means
water that contains dissolved or suspended substances such as glucose,
mineral salts, and proteins.
ICF & ECF - Ans--Body fluids are located in two distinct compartments:
extracellular fluid (ECF) outside the cells, and intracellular fluid (ICF) inside
the cells
In adults ICF is approximately two thirds of total body water. ECF is
approximately one third of total body water. ECF has two major divisions
(intravascular fluid and interstitial fluid) and a minor division (transcellular
fluids). Intravascular fluid is the liquid portion of the blood (i.e., the plasma).
Interstitial fluid is located between the cells and outside the blood vessels.
Transcellular fluids such as cerebrospinal, pleural, peritoneal, and synovial
fluids are secreted by epithelial cells
Electrolytes - Ans--Fluid in the body compartments contains mineral salts
known technically as electrolytes. An electrolyte is a compound that
separates into ions (charged particles) when it dissolves in water. Element
or compound that, when melted or dissolved in water or other solvent,
dissociates into ions and can carry an electrical current.
Cations - Ans--Ions that are positively charged are called cations; ions that
are negatively charged are called anions. Cations in body fluids are sodium
(Na+), potassium (K+), calcium (Ca2+), and magnesium ions (Mg2+).
,Anions - Ans--Anions in body fluids are chloride (Cl−) and bicarbonate ( ).
Anions and cations combine to make salts. If you put table salt (NaCl) in
water, it separates into Na+ and Cl−
Osmolality - Ans--Osmolality of a fluid is a measure of the number of
particles per kilogram of water. Some particles (e.g., urea) pass easily
through cell membranes; others such as Na+ cannot cross easily. The
particles that cannot cross cell membranes easily (nonpermeant particles)
determine tonicity of a fluid
Isotonic - Ans--Situation in which two solutions have the same
concentration of solute; therefore both solutions exert the same osmotic
pressure.
Hypotonic - Ans--Situation in which one solution has a smaller
concentration of solute than another; therefore the first solution exerts less
osmotic pressure.
Hypertonic - Ans--Situation in which one solution has a greater
concentration of solute than another; therefore the first solution exerts
greater osmotic pressure.
Laboratory Normal Values for Adults - Ans--NORMAL VALUE IN SERUM
OR BLOOD
Osmolality 280-300 mOsm/kg H2O (280-300 mmol/kg H2O)
Electrolytes
Sodium (Na+)136-145 mEq/L (136-145 mmol/L)
Potassium (K+) 3.5-5.0 mEq/L (3.5-5 mmol/L)
Chloride (Cl−) 98-106 mEq/L (98-106 mmol/L)
Total CO2 (CO2 total content) 22-30 mEq/L (22-30 mmol/L)
Bicarbonate ( HCO3)
, Arterial 22-26 mEq/L (22-26 mmol/L)
Venous 24-30 mEq/L (24-30 mmol/L)
Total calcium (Ca2+) 8.4-10.5 mg/dL (2.1-2.6 mmol/L)
Ionized calcium (Ca2+) 4.5-5.3 mg/dL (1.1-1.3 mmol/L)
Magnesium (Mg2+) 1.5-2.5 mEq/L (0.75-1.25 mmol/L)
Phosphate (PO 3-/4) (Potter 884)
Potter, Patricia, Anne Perry, Patricia Stockert, Amy Hall. Fundamentals of
Nursing, 8th Edition. Mosby, 2013. VitalBook file. ) 2.7-4.5 mg/dL (0.87-
1.45 mmol/L)
Anion gap 5-11 mEq/L (5-11 mmol/L)
Arterial Blood Gases pH 7.35-7.45
PaCO2 35-45 mm Hg (4.7-6 kPa)
PaO2 80-100 mm Hg (10.7-13.3 kPa)
O2 saturation 95%-100% (0.95-1.00)
Base excess −2 to +2 mmol/L
Movement of Water and Electrolytes - Ans--Active transport, diffusion,
osmosis, and filtration are processes that move water and electrolytes
between body compartments. These processes maintain equal osmolality
in all compartments while allowing for different electrolyte concentrations.
Active Transport - Ans--Movement of materials across the cell membrane
by means of chemical activity that allows the cell to admit larger molecules
than would otherwise be possible. Active transport requires energy in the
form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to move electrolytes across cell
membranes against the concentration gradient (from areas of lower
concentration to areas of higher concentration). One example of active
transport is the sodium-potassium pump, which moves Na+ out of a cell and
K+ into it, keeping ICF lower in Na+ and higher in K+ than the ECF.
