NURSING 320 Fluid & Electrolytes Worksheet

NURSING 320 Fluid & Electrolytes Worksheet NURSING 320 Fluid & Electrolytes Worksheet Distribution of Body Fluids Body fluids are distributed into distinct compartments. Briefly explain each one. Extracellular: all body fluids outside of the cell. Intracellular: fluids within the cells. Interstitial: extracellular fluid can be further divided into interstitial fluid, plasma, lymph, cerebrospinal fluid, and milk. Composition of Body Fluids Define electrolyte: minerals in the body that have an electric charge. Define the following terms related to the composition of body fluids: Cations: positively charged ions due to a loss of electrons. These include sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium ions. Anions: negatively charged ions in the boy. These include bicarbonate, chloride, phosphate and sulfate ions. mEq/L Movement of Body Fluids Fluids and electrolytes shift from compartment to compartment to facilitate body processes. List and briefly describe the four factors responsible for movement of body fluids: a. Interstitial fluid is formed when hydrostatic pressure generated by the heart pushes water out of the capillaries. The water passes from high concentrations outside of the vessels to a low concentration inside the vessels, the equilibrium is never reached. b. Osmotic pressure works opposite to hydrostatic pressure to hold water and substances in the capillaries. c. Hydrostatic pressure is stronger in the arterial ends of the capillaries, while osmotic pressure is stronger at the venous ends of the capillaries. d. Interstitial fluid is removed through the surrounding lymph vessels, and eventually ends up rejoining blood. Starling equation describes the pressure gradients that describes the movement of water across fluid compartments. Define the following terms related to osmosis: Osmotic pressure: the pressure that would have been applied to a pure solvent to prevent it from passing into a given solution by osmosis. Isotonic: a solution having the same osmotic pressure as some other solution Hypotonic: having a lower osmotic pressure than a particular fluid Hypertonic: having a higher osmotic pressure than a particular fluid Define the following term related to filtration: Hydrostatic pressure: the pressure exerted by a fluid at equilibrium at a given point within the fluid, due to force of gravity.