Question

If an athlete is training in a high altitude area where the atmospheric pressure is 0.90 atmospheres and their healthy lung capacity is 3.2 liters, what would the pressure be if they developed a respiratory disease that decreased their lung capacity to 2.5 liters?

a) 0.72 atmospheres
b) 0.90 atmospheres
c) 1.12 atmospheres
d) 1.44 atmospheres

Answer 1

The pressure in the high altitude area is 0.90 atmospheres. If the athlete's lung capacity decreases to 2.5 liters, the pressure would be approximately 1.152 atmospheres.

Step-by-step explanation:

The pressure in the high altitude area is given as 0.90 atmospheres. If the athlete develops a respiratory disease that decreases their lung capacity to 2.5 liters, we need to find the new pressure. To do this, we can use Boyle's Law which states that the pressure of a gas is inversely proportional to its volume, when temperature is constant.

P1V1 = P2V2

Where P1 and V1 represent the initial pressure and volume, and P2 and V2 represent the final pressure and volume.

Plugging in the values, we have:

0.90 atmospheres × 3.2 liters = P2 × 2.5 liters

Simplifying the equation, we get:

P2 = (0.90 atmospheres × 3.2 liters) / 2.5 liters

P2 ≈ 1.152 atmospheres

Therefore, the pressure would be approximately 1.152 atmospheres if the athlete develops a respiratory disease that decreases their lung capacity to 2.5 liters.