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Believe it or not, we can die from too little oxygen AND too much oxygen.
This concept involves partial pressures.
If we first consider using standard air (i.e. 20% Oxygen and 80% Nitrogen):
(1 bar = 1 kilogram of pressure per square centimetre)
At the surface - Total Pressure of air = 1 bar
- Pressure of Oxygen = 0.2 bar
- Pressure of Nitrogen = 0.8 bar
At 10m - Total Pressure of air = 2 bar
- Pressure of Oxygen = 0.4 bar
- Pressure of Nitrogen = 1.6 bar
At 20m - Total Pressure of air = 3 bar
- Pressure of Oxygen = 0.6 bar
- Pressure of Nitrogen = 2.4 bar
At 30m - Total Pressure of air = 4 bar
- Pressure of Oxygen = 0.8 bar
- Pressure of Nitrogen = 3.2 bar
At 40m - Total Pressure of air = 5 bar
- Pressure of Oxygen = 1.0 bar
- Pressure of Nitrogen = 4.0 bar
At 50m - Total Pressure of air = 6 bar
- Pressure of Oxygen = 1.2 bar
- Pressure of Nitrogen = 4.8 bar
At 60m - Total Pressure of air = 7 bar
- Pressure of Oxygen = 1.4 bar
- Pressure of Nitrogen = 5.6 bar
At 70m - Total Pressure of air = 8 bar
- Pressure of Oxygen = 1.6 bar
- Pressure of Nitrogen = 6.4 bar
It is at the partial pressure of 1.6 bar (which occurs at 70m where oxygen becomes toxic. That is why most dive organisations recommend 50m as a maximum for recreational diving.
However, if pure oxygen is used:
At surface - Pressure of Oxygen = 1 bar
At 10m - Pressure of oxygen = 2 bar
The oxygen has already become toxic!
Hope that answers your question. The concept is called "partial pressures" and "oxygen toxicity" if you want to research more on a search engine.
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
Wiki User
∙ 15y agoPure oxygen becomes toxic at a pressure of 1.6 atmospheres so once you go below 6 meters you risk an oxygen toxicity event which usuall results in the diver becoming unconcious.
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What are two uses for oxygen therapy equipment?
There is high concentrated oxygen treatments, or there is the standard oxygen treatments. The high concentrated is almost pure oxygen, people like doctors and scuba divers breathe pure oxygen almost every day.
Can you scuba dive with a pure oxygen tank?
No.
What will happen if you breathe in heliuim?
One of the effects of a small amount of helium in the breath is to change the voice similar to a cartoon Donald Duck sound. Professional deep sea divers will breath a mixture of Oxygen and Helium this helps preventdecompression sickness known as the Bends. If you breath pure helium you would asphyxiate. (starve the brain of Oxygen and die)
Could life on earth if air contained only oxygen?
Not "life as we know it". Oxygen is poisonous, as all Scuba divers know; below about 30 feet depth, pure oxygen will kill you, and a few people react badly to oxygen in normal pressures. And without nitrogen and carbon dioxide, plants would be unable to live.
Why is gas mixed with oxygen to make it safe for divers?
It is a common misconception that humans absorb only oxygen when they breath. While Oxygen is the primary element that our bodies require when breating we can not breath it in pure concentration. Our own atmosphere is a Nitrogen/Oxygen mix that we inhale and require both elements. I'm not sure for the reason or chemistry behind it. However I do know that over time breathing pure oxygen will kill a person. So we need the mixed gas form similar to our atmosphere.
Why scuba divers use mixture of nitrogen and oxygen?
Most very deep dives are done in trimix, which is a mix of oxygen (actually very little of that), helium and nitrogen.For really deep dives, divers use heliox, which is a mix of pure helium and oxygen.And for really stupidly deep dives, divers use hyrdeliox(hydrogen, helium and oxygen).
What are the main advantages of hyperbaric oxygen therapy?
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is still not a widely used treatment although there are claims that it has some great benefits. The process involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized room and it often used to treat decompression that is experienced by scuba divers. The oxygen stimulates stem cells and growth factors which promotes healing in general.
Can a human being dive to 400 feet with oxygen tanks?
no. oxygen and pressure is a lethal combination... 400ft has just to much pressure..you will need nitrous to dive that deep... which is very dangerous.AdditionYes, technical divers can dive to 400 feet. But they do not breathe pure oxygen (or nitrous on the bottom). They breath a combination of helium, oxygen and nitrogen known as trimix.
Is it worthy to spend money to breath in 100 percent pure oxygen?
No!It's so not worthy to spend such precious money on 100% pure oxygen!Ha!Ha!
What gas is needed by animals to breathe in?
Animals need AIR to breath in - AIR is made up of about 80% Nitrogen and 20% Oxygen. The animals use the Oxygen in the AIR.NOTE if an animal were to breath 100% Oxygen this would eventually kill it, Pure Oxygen is toxic.They need to breath AIR.
Why cant a scuba filled with oxygen only?
Scuba tanks get hot when you fill them. Putting them underwater keeps them cool. If they overheat, the burst disk may blow. But even if it doesn't, a "hot" fill will cool down to a lower pressure, so if you think you have filled the tank to 3,000 PSI, when it cools down you will find that you only have, say, 2,750 PSI in your tank.
Why oxygen tank is used for scuba diving?
To fit more in. If it was at 1 atmosphere of pressure it would be like breathing out of a bag. (You would run out of air in about 5 or 6 breaths) Addendum: I should add that it's not oxygen in SCUBA tanks; it's air. Oxygen when delivered under pressure, can cause convulsions. You'll never see a diver with oxygen in her tanks.The above is correct, however oxygen is used by technical divers during decompression at very shallow depths. But this is not what is in the divers main gas or bottom gas.
