Question

Write the two applications of Henry’s law.

Mention some important applications of Henry’s law.

Answer 1

Applications of Henry’s law are mentioned as follows:

1. Bottles are sealed under high pressure to increase the solubility of CO₂ in soft drinks and soda water.
2. Aquatic species feel uncomfortable in hot water.

Answer 2

1. To increase the solubility of CO₂ in soft drinks and soda water, the bottle is sealed under high pressure.
2. Scuba divers must cope with high concentrations of dissolved gases while breathing air at high pressure underwater. Increased pressure increases the solubility of atmospheric gases in blood. When the divers come towards the surface, the pressure gradually decreases. This releases the dissolved gases and leads to the formation of bubbles of nitrogen in the blood. This blocks capillaries and creates a medical condition known as the bends, which is painful and dangerous to life. To avoid bends, as well as the toxic effects of high concentrations of nitrogen in the blood, the tanks used by scuba divers are filled with air diluted with helium (11.7% helium, 56.2% nitrogen and 32.1% oxygen).
3. At high altitudes, the partial pressure of oxygen is less than that at the ground level. This leads to low concentrations of oxygen in the blood and tissues of people living at high altitudes or climbers. Low blood oxygen causes climbers to become weak and unable to think clearly, symptoms of a condition known as anoxia.
4. The way that breathed oxygen reaches tissues is explained by Henry’s law. Because of the high partial pressure of oxygen in the lungs, when air is inhaled, it combines with the blood’s haemoglobin to generate oxyhaemoglobin. In tissues, the partial pressure of oxygen is low. As a result, oxyhaemoglobin releases oxygen, which the cells use.