Final answer:
Partial pressure is the pressure of a single gas in a mixture as if it alone occupied the entire volume. For ambient air, the partial pressures are 78.6% for nitrogen, 20.9% for oxygen, 0.5% for water vapor, and 0.04% for carbon dioxide. The partial pressure of oxygen is calculated to be approximately 160 mm Hg at sea level.
Step-by-step explanation:
Partial pressure is the pressure that a single gas component in a mixture of gases would exert if it occupied the entire volume of the mixture alone at the same temperature. Ambient air, which consists of a mix of gases, has the following partial pressure percentages:
- Nitrogen (N₂): 78.6%
- Oxygen (O₂): 20.9%
- Water Vapor (H₂O): 0.5%
- Carbon Dioxide (CO₂): 0.04%
The atmospheric pressure, which is the sum of all these partial pressures, is typically around 760 mm Hg at sea level. The partial pressure of oxygen is roughly 160 mm Hg, as calculated using the formula P = (Patm) X (percent content in mixture), given that the percentage content in the mixture for oxygen is approximately 21%.