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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
∙ 16y 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?
Scuba divers use a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen in their tanks because it reduces the risk of decompression sickness. This mixture, known as nitrox, has a higher oxygen content than normal air, allowing divers to stay at depth for longer periods of time. Nitrox also helps to reduce the amount of nitrogen absorbed by the body, which can help prevent nitrogen toxicity.
Why does pure oxygen get you high?
Pure oxygen does not get you high. Breathing pure oxygen at higher-than-normal pressures, such as in medical treatments or scuba diving, can lead to oxygen toxicity, which can cause symptoms like confusion, muscle twitching, and seizures. This is not the same as feeling high.
Can a human being dive to 400 feet with oxygen tanks?
Yes, it is possible for a human being to dive to 400 feet with the use of specialized equipment such as mixed gases and technical diving techniques. However, diving to such depths requires extensive training, experience, and equipment to manage the associated risks of deep diving, such as nitrogen narcosis and decompression sickness.
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.
Is the oxygen and helium in a scuba tank a pure substance?
Yes, the oxygen and helium in a scuba tank are pure substances because they consist of only one type of molecule and cannot be separated by physical means.
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.
