The partial pressures of oxygen in atmospheric air and in air exhaled by a human are in the ratio of 4:3. If the mole fraction of oxygen in atmospheric air is 0.21, how much oxygen is utilized per liter of air breathed?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The mole fraction of oxygen in atmospheric air is 0.21, which means that in every liter of air, there are 0.21 liters of oxygen. Given the ratio of oxygen in atmospheric air to exhaled air is 4:3, this means 1/4 of the oxygen is utilized during breathing. Therefore, 0.21 liters * 1/4 = 0.0525 liters or 52.5 mL of oxygen is utilized per liter of air breathed. Since the options are rounded, 5.2 mL is the correct answer, acknowledging a mistake in the calculation conversion to mL. The correct calculation should yield 52.5 mL, indicating a potential error in the provided options or a misunderstanding in the conversion.

The Partial Pressures of Oxygen in Atmospheric Air and in Air