Question

Chickens do not have sweat glands, so when they become overheated, they cool themselves by panting (taking short, quick breaths). This lowers the concentration of CO2 in their blood. If chickens pant too much, this causes the shells on the chickens’ eggs to become so thin that they break easily. Eggshells are about 95% calcium carbonate. Explain the effect of panting on shell thickness by considering the equilibrium between CO2(aq) and CO3^2-(aq) in blood.

Answer 1

The equilibrium is maybe the following,

2H⁺ + CO₃^2-- = CO₂ + H₂O ... (1)

Now, the shell of the formed maybe by the following reaction,

Ca ²⁺ + CO₃^2- = CaCO_{3 ...} (2)

Now, if chickens pant too much the equilibrium (1) shits to right side by the degradation of carbonate in the left side. Consequently, the required carbonate concentration decreases and the deficiency of the carbonate in the second equilibrium leads to lowering of Calcium carbonate production. Thus, the egg shells become thinner and easily breakable.