Question

On a cold day a person takes in a breath of 450.0 mL of air at 756 mmHg and -10.0C. Assuming that amount and pressure remain constant, what is the volume of the air when it warms to body temperature (37C) in the lungs?

Answer 1

To find the volume of air when it warms to body temperature in the lungs, we can use the combined gas law.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the volume of air when it warms to body temperature in the lungs, we can use the combined gas law:

P1V1/T1 = P2V2/T2

We are given the initial volume (V1 = 450.0 mL), pressure (P1 = 756 mmHg), and temperature (T1 = -10.0°C). We need to find the final volume (V2) when the temperature is 37°C (T2).

Convert the temperatures to Kelvin by adding 273 to them. Plug the given values into the formula and solve for V2:

(756 mmHg)(450.0 mL)/(-10.0 + 273) = (P2)(V2)/(37 + 273)

V2 = [(756 mmHg)(450.0 mL)(310 K)]/[(37 + 273)(-10.0°C)]

Calculating the expression gives us V2 ≈ 553.1 mL.