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Boyle’s Law
Henry’s Law
THE GAS LAWS - Pressure
Pressure = force per unit area
The Gas Laws refer to absolute pressure (Pabs).
We are subject to a pressure at the surface because of the
weight of 10 miles of air above us.
The pressure at the surface is l atmosphere (l atm).
A pressure gauge is made to read zero at the surface despite
the weight of the atmosphere, and therefore reads pressure
extra to the already existing atmospheric pressure. Each 33ft,
or 10 meters of water, exert the same pressure as atmospheric
air at sea level.
Example
the gauge pressure 99 ft below the surface of the sea is 3 atm
due to the weight of the water. However the absolute pressure
is 4 atm, due to the combined effect of the water plus the
weight of the atmosphere pressing down on the surface of the
water. Pabs = Pg+ 1 atm
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THE GAS LAWS – Pressure
Compressor Room and Pressure Tanks
THE GAS LAWS – Pressure Gauge on
Chamber
Pressure Units
1 atmosphere (atm) at sea level is (approximately)
= 1 kg per square cm (1 kg/cm2) (1 bar)
= 14.7 pounds per square inch (p.s.i.)
= 760mm of mercury (torr)
= 29.92in Hg
= 101,300 (Newtons per square meter) (pascals) (Pa)
= 33ft of sea water
Boyles Law: -The volume of a fixed mass of gas at a constant
temperature varies inversely as the (absolute) pressure.
P x V = Constant (As the pressure goes up the volume
goes down & vice-versa.)
P1 x Vl = P2 x V2
If a diver fills his lungs and then holds his breath while
he ascends, the volume of his lungs will expand until either
he decides to breathe out or the lungs rupture (embolism).
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Depth Pressure Gas Volume
0’ 1 atm Full
66’ 3 atm 1
/3 full
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QUESTION
A diver ascends from 132 ft to 99ft while holding his breath.
If his lungs contained 4 litres of air at 132ft, what is the
volume at 99ft?
P2xV2 = P1xV1 (Boyles Law)
V2= P1xV1 / P2 = 5atm ab x 4/ 4atm abs= 5 litres
A trainee diver at 33ft shoots to the surface while holding his
breath. If his lungs held 4 litres at 33 ft what is the volume at
the surface.
P2xV2=P1xV1
V2=P1xV1 / P2 = 2atm x 4 / 1atm = 8 litres.
Both divers ascended 33ft, which one is most likely to suffer
an embolism?
DALTONS LAW. Dalton’s Law is a concept that states that
the total pressure exerted by a mixture of gases is the sum of
the partial pressures that each gas would exert if it alone filled
the container.
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HYPERBARIC OXYGEN TREATMENTS
Dive related
Arterial Gas Embolism
Decompression Sickness
Other Treatments
Wound Healing
Restoration of Circulation (Advanced
Diabetes)
Skin Grafts
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
HYPERBARIC OXYGEN TREATMENTS
2. Decompression Sickness
Caused by rapid reduction of environmental
pressure resulting in Nitrogen (previously
dissolved in the body tissues) being released
as bubbles in the blood stream.
TYPES OF DECOMPRESSION
SICKNESS
Type I DCS
Joint pain and skin bends only. Caused by
the physical effects of he bubbles and
immune reaction on the tissues.
TYPES OF DECOMPRESSION
SICKNESS
Type II DCS
Typically due to bubbles in the nerve tissue
of the spinal cord or brain, causing a wide
range of neurological problems.
TYPES OF DECOMPRESSION
SICKNESS
The Chokes
Nitrogen bubble froth in the blood in right
side of heart and/or in the lungs. The heart
compresses the bubbles rather than
pumping the blood. Bubbles in the alveoli
capillaries prevent gas exchange and result
in extreme shortness of breath.
BENEFITS OF HIGH ppO2
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To Reduce Chance of Decompression Sickness
Divers can breathe nitrox,
a mixture of 32% Oxygen and 68% Nitrogen
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HYPERBARIC OXYGEN
Pure Oxygen is used as well as pressure in
hyperbaric treatments.
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The General Gas Law
A combination of Boyles Law and Charles Law leads
to the General Gas Law:
P1 xVl = P2xV2 = a constant
T1 T2
If you heat a fixed volume of gas the pressure will go
up. If you leave a dive tank already filled to a high
pressure out in the sun, then the pressure will rise
until...
If you reduce the volume, and try to keep the
temperature constant, the pressure will go up.
WHENEVER YOU USE THE GAS,LAWS YOU
MUST USE ABSOLUTE PRESSURE AND
KELVIN DEGREES (otherwise it won’t work!)