Atmospheric pressure at sea level is 760 mm Hg, and oxygen makes up 20.9% of this air when the air is dry.Scientists at a Mount Everest base camp measured the atmospheric pressure there as 400 mm Hg.When the air is dry, the partial pressure of oxygen at this base camp is approximately _______ mm Hg.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

We can use the formula:

Partial pressure of gas = (percentage of gas in air) x (total atmospheric pressure)

So, the partial pressure of oxygen at sea level is:

Partial pressure of oxygen = (20.9/100) x 760 mm Hg = 159.44 mm Hg (rounded)

At the base camp, the atmospheric pressure is 400 mm Hg. Using the same formula, we can calculate the partial pressure of oxygen at the base camp:

Partial pressure of oxygen = (20.9/100) x 400 mm Hg = 83.6 mm Hg (rounded)

Therefore, the answer is C) 84.

Atmospheric Pressure at Sea Level Is 760 Mm Hg, and Oxygen