Question

Divers who go to great depths in the ocean experience large differences in pressure between the surface and their final destinations below the surface. At times, they have to avoid quick changes in pressure because of the effects on the solubility of nitrogen in their blood. If the solubility decreases quickly, then gas bubbles can form in the person’s blood, causing a dangerous condition called “the bends.”

In one or two sentences, state whether you would expect the condition to be a greater hazard for divers as they dive down or as they return to the surface. Then, explain your prediction in terms of the solubility of gases in liquids at different pressures.

Answer 1

Since solubility decreases rapidly as the diver returns to the surface, the risk of having “the bends” is greater as the diver returns to the surface.

The solubility of a gas refers to the amount of the gas that dissolves in a liquid. Solubility of a gas is dependent on pressure. The greater the pressure, the higher the solubility of the gas and vice versa.

Pressure increases with depth as a diver moves down the sea. More pressure is exerted, the deeper the diver goes. This means that solubility of nitrogen in blood increases at a greater depth.

As the diver returns to the surface, the pressure decreases rapidly and the solubility of nitrogen also decreases suddenly making the risk of “the bends” to be greater as the diver returns to the surface.

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