Dry air is 78.08% nitrogen, 20.95% oxygen, and 0.93% argon with the 0.04% consisting of other gases. Calculate the partial pressure of oxygen in dry air when the atmospheric pressure is 760 torr.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The partial pressure of oxygen can be calculated using Dalton's law of partial pressures which states that the total pressure of a gas mixture is equal to the sum of the partial pressures of each individual gas in the mixture.

First, we need to calculate the partial pressure of oxygen:

Partial pressure of oxygen = Total pressure of air x Fraction of oxygen 
= 760 torr x 0.2095 
= 159.2 torr

Therefore, the answer is B) 159.2 torr.

Dry Air Is 78