Final answer:
The oxygen provided to Mr. Potter is humidified to help maintain mucous membrane moisture, which is beneficial for his respiratory health. It is not for improving taste, preventing pathogen inhalation, or speeding up the healing process. Humidified oxygen therapy is beneficial for easier breathing and is essential in specific medical scenarios such as carbon monoxide poisoning.
Step-by-step explanation:
The oxygen being administered to Mr. Potter is humidified because it helps maintain mucous membrane moisture. When air is warmed and humidified in the nasal passages or lungs, it provides multiple benefits related to respiratory health. These include preventing damage to the lungs, warding off infection, and reducing sensitivity during breathing. The moist air helps to loosen and thin mucus in the respiratory system, allowing for easier breathing.
Furthermore, oxygen therapy is often used when a patient is receiving an inadequate supply of oxygen due to conditions like shock or pneumonia. In cases like carbon monoxide poisoning, administration of 100 percent oxygen is crucial because it helps displace carbon monoxide from the hemoglobin, allowing oxygen to bind and alleviate the poisoning. Administering carbon dioxide would not work as it does not compete with carbon monoxide for binding sites on hemoglobin and is, itself, a waste product requiring exhalation.