Question

A cylinder of a gas mixture used for calibration of blood gas analyzers in medical laboratories contains 5.0% CO2, 12.0% O2, and the remainder N2 at a total pressure of 146 atm. What is the partial pressure of each component of this gas? (The percentages given indicate the percent of the total pressure that is due to each component.)

a) CO2: 7.3 atm, O2: 17.5 atm, N2: 121.2 atm
b) CO2: 3.7 atm, O2: 14.0 atm, N2: 128.3 atm
c) CO2: 5.8 atm, O2: 14.9 atm, N2: 125.3 atm
d) CO2: 8.2 atm, O2: 18.6 atm, N2: 119.2 atm

Answer 1

The partial pressure of each gas component in the mixture is found by multiplying the percentage of the total pressure by the total pressure. The partial pressures are 7.3 atm for CO2, 17.5 atm for O2, and 121.2 atm for N2, corresponding to option (a).

Step-by-step explanation:

The partial pressures of the components in a gas mixture can be calculated using the percentage of the total pressure that each component contributes.

For a gas mixture containing 5.0% CO2, 12.0% O2, and the remainder N2 at a total pressure of 146 atm, the partial pressures are calculated as follows:

• CO2 partial pressure = 5.0% of 146 atm = 0.05 × 146 atm = 7.3 atm
• O2 partial pressure = 12.0% of 146 atm = 0.12 × 146 atm = 17.5 atm
• N2 partial pressure = Remaining percentage of 146 atm = (100% - 5.0% - 12.0%) of 146 atm = 83.0% of 146 atm = 0.83 × 146 atm = 121.2 atm

Therefore, the correct answer is (a) CO2: 7.3 atm, O2: 17.5 atm, N2: 121.2 atm.