A baby is admitted to the hospital with a history of diarrhea and watery feces occurring over the last three days. The baby has sunken fontanels, indicating extreme dehydration. Tests indicate that the baby has a bacterium-induced colitis, and antibiotics are prescribed.

(a) What is bacterium-induced colitis?

(b) Because of the baby’s loss of intestinal juices (through her diarrhea) do you think that her blood pH would indicate acidosis or alkalosis? Is this called respiratory or metabolic acidosis/alkalosis? Explain your reasons for both answers in detail.

(c) How would the baby’s body try to compensate on its own for the pH condition you predicted in part (b) — there are 3 potential mechanisms that could be used by the body to compensate for a pH imbalance, which of them would be effective in this specific situation, and how would they be used? Explain in detail.