Final answer:
The concentration of dissolved oxygen is dependent on the partial pressure and solubility of the gas. Henry's Law allows for the calculation of gas solubility under varying pressures. The correct answer to the student's question is d) Answers a) and b) are correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concentration of oxygen dissolved in a liquid is dependent on the partial pressure of oxygen in the air and the solubility of oxygen in the liquid. When it comes to comparing the concentrations of dissolved gases, assuming equal partial pressures, it is the solubility in the liquid that determines the final concentration; therefore without information on solubility in relation to carbon dioxide, choice c) cannot be confirmed. Thus the main answer to the question is d) Answers a) and b) are correct.
Applying Henry's Law, which states that the concentration of a gas in a liquid is directly proportional to its partial pressure above the liquid, we can find the solubility of oxygen under different pressures. At a given temperature, the solubility of oxygen when its partial pressure is 20.7 kPa can be calculated using the same ratio as when its partial pressure is 101.3 kPa. Henry's Law is crucial for understanding how gases like oxygen dissolve into liquids such as blood, which has important implications for fields such as medicine and environmental science.