In: Chemistry
1. Scuba drivers breathing air at increased pressure can suffer from nitrogen narcosis-a condition resembling drunkenness-when the partial pressure of nitrogen exceeds about 4 atm. What property of gas/water solutions causes this to happen?
2. Calculate the mass of nitrogen dissolved at room temperature in an 80.0 L home aquarium. Assume a total pressure of 1.0 atm and a mole fraction for Nitrogen of 0.78. (KH for N2 = 6.1 x 10-4 M/atm)
1.
The partial pressure + diffusivity of gases will cause nitrogen to remain in blood and to diffuse faster than O2
2.
Apply Henry law
Mi = H*Pi
Mi = (6.1*10^-4)(0.78) = 0.0004758 mol of N2 per liter of solution
V = 80 L so
mol = MV =0.0004758*80 = 0.0038064mol of N2
mass = mol*MW = 0.0038064*28 = 0.1065792 g of N2 = 106 mg of N2