What happens to carbon dioxide in the respiratory process?

During the respiratory process, carbon dioxide (CO2) is a byproduct of cellular metabolism. As cells utilize oxygen for energy production, they generate carbon dioxide, which then diffuses into the bloodstream. From there, CO2 is transported primarily to the lungs, where it is expelled from the body during exhalation.

This process of removing carbon dioxide is crucial for maintaining the body's acid-base balance and preventing the accumulation of this gas to toxic levels in the body. The exchange of gases, including the expulsion of carbon dioxide, is an essential part of respiration, ensuring that oxygen is taken in for use by the body's cells while waste products, like carbon dioxide, are effectively removed.

The other options represent different processes or misunderstandings about respiratory functions. For instance, while CO2 does enter the bloodstream, it is not absorbed in a manner that is beneficial; instead, it must be removed. Additionally, converting CO2 to oxygen does not occur in the respiratory system; rather, plants perform photosynthesis to convert CO2 into oxygen using light energy. Storing CO2 in the lungs is also inaccurate, as the lungs primarily serve as a site for gas exchange rather than storage. Thus, the expulsion of carbon dioxide is the accurate process described