Aviation and Deep Sea Physio

Introduction

Introduction
THE ATMOSPHERE
The gaseous envelop of air that surrounds the earth and extends to about 25,000 miles (40,000 km). Composition: o Oxygen 20.95% o Nitrogen 78.08% o Carbon Dioxide 0.03% o Argon 0.93% o Neon 0.0018% o Helium 0.0005% o Krypton 0.001% o Hydrogen 0.00005% o Methane 0.0002% Water vapor is not considered one of the components of atmosphere and varies to a minor degree.

Acclimatization:
A complex acute and chronic process, wherein the body adapts to hypoxia by optimizing oxygen delivery to cells.

High Altitude changes include:

At 12,000 ft.: Drowsiness, Nausea, Headache, sometimes, Lassitude, Mental and Muscle Fatigue , Euphoria, at times At 18,000 ft.: Seizures At 23,000 ft.: Coma

THE GAS LAWS

1. BOYLES LAW the volume of a gas is inversely proportional to the pressure (temperature remaining constant). 2. CHARLES LAW the volume of gas is directly proportional to the temperature (pressure remaining constant). 3. DALTONS LAW the total pressure of a gas mixture is the sum of the individual pressure (also called partial pressure) that each gas would exert if it alone occupied the whole volume. 4. HENRYS LAW the amount (for weight absorbed) of gas in solution not chemically combined, varies directly with the partial pressure of this gas over the solution.

Prepared by Dr. Roy J. Cuison for UST-FMS Department of Physiology