A blood lactic acid sample was collected in a gray-top tube that was drawn after sequentially filling red-top, green-top, and purple-top tubes. The lactate level was 30 mg/dL. A second lactic acid sample was ordered 1 hour later and drawn in a gray-top tube without filling any other tubes. The result was 20 mg/dL. What is the most likely explanation of this result

Homeostasis has been established for a very long time. This must have affected the result of the first reading, which has become high.

Explanation:

Homeostasis refers to the state of equilibrium in the chemical and physical conditions of a system. The time it takes to establish, as well as the time it remains active within a system, provides different results, which are totally related to the homostatic forms presented.

The time between homeostasis in the blood lactic acid samples shown in the question above was what allowed the difference between the two reading results. The first result was high, because it was the result of an extended period of homeostasis.