Phosphates are substances in the body that sometimes keep hydrogen ions in the urine so they are not reabsorbed by the body. If these ions were reabsorbed, the body’s pH would decrease, becoming too acidic. In this scenario, what is the role of the phosphates?

Buffers help maintain a stable pH by binding or releasing hydrogen ions. Here, phosphates keep hydrogen ions in the urine, preventing them from returning to the body and making the body too acidic. Therefore, the phosphates are acting as buffers.

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