We're being asked to calculate the milliliters of N2 gas released into the blood stream.
For this problem, we will do the following steps:
Step 1: Calculate Henry’s Law constant for the gas
Recall that the solubility of a gas is given by Henry’s law:
where:
Sgas = solubility of the gas (in mol/L or M)
kH = Henry’s law constant for the gas
Pgas = partial pressure of the gas
At ordinary body temperature (37 oC), the solubility of N2 in water at ordinary atmospheric pressure (1.0 atm) is 0.015 g/L. Air is approximately 78 mol % N2.
At a depth of 100 ft in water, the external pressure is 4.0 atm. If a scuba diver suddenly surfaces from this depth, how many milliliters of N2 gas, in the form of tiny bubbles, are released into the bloodstream from each liter of blood?
Frequently Asked Questions
What scientific concept do you need to know in order to solve this problem?
Our tutors have indicated that to solve this problem you will need to apply the Henry's Law concept. You can view video lessons to learn Henry's Law. Or if you need more Henry's Law practice, you can also practice Henry's Law practice problems.
What professor is this problem relevant for?
Based on our data, we think this problem is relevant for Professor Bindell's class at UCF.