Diving Gas Laws
Chemistry- The gas laws and scuba diving.?
1. Why is the concentration of helium increased in some gas mixtures that divers breathe in to reduce the partial pressure of oxygen?
2. Although carbon monoxide, CO, is normally present in trace quantities in air, compressed air scuba tanks that are filled improperly can contain elevated levels of CO. Why is this particularly dangerous for divers?
they have to increase the pressure in the tanks to allow a diver to breathe. even going down 5-6 feet, the water pressure would be too high for a diver to get thier ribcage to expand to take in air. they have to increase the pressure to make up for the high pressure outside the body.
CO is posionous. it is more reactive than oxygen is, so your blood will absorb CO instead of O2. this will basically cause the diver to suffocate without even realizing it, since they would still be breathing.
Gas Laws and Scuba
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