Answer:
when visiting Vail, CO, the partial pressure of oxygen in your inspired air, once it has been fully conditioned, would still be approximately 120 mm Hg. The conditioning process alters the temperature and humidity of the air but does not change the oxygen concentration or its partial pressure.
Explanation:
If you were visiting Vail, CO, the partial pressure of oxygen in your inspired air, once it had been fully conditioned (warmed and humidified), would still be approximately 120 mm Hg.
Here's why:
1. Partial pressure of oxygen: The partial pressure of a gas component in a mixture is the pressure exerted by that component alone if it occupies the same volume as the mixture. In this case, we are interested in the partial pressure of oxygen in the inspired air.
2. Conditioned air: When the air is fully conditioned, it means that it has been warmed and humidified. Warming the air increases its temperature while humidifying it adds moisture.
3. No change in oxygen concentration: While conditioning the air alters its temperature and humidity, it does not affect the oxygen concentration. The percentage of oxygen in the air remains constant at around 21%.
4. Dalton's law of partial pressures: According to Dalton's law, the total pressure exerted by a mixture of gases is equal to the sum of the partial pressures of each gas component. Since the partial pressure of oxygen in the inspired air is initially 120 mm Hg, it will remain the same even after the air is conditioned.
In summary, when visiting Vail, CO, the partial pressure of oxygen in your inspired air, once it has been fully conditioned, would still be approximately 120 mm Hg. The conditioning process alters the temperature and humidity of the air but does not change the oxygen concentration or its partial pressure.
