# The volume of blood in the body of a diver is about 6 L

1. Apr 13, 2005

### physicsss

the volume of blood in the bodyof a diver is about 6 L. Blood cells make up about 55% of the blood volume, and the remaining 45% is the aqueous solution called plasma. What is the maximum volume of nitrogen measured at 1.00 atm and 37C that could dissolve in the diver's blood plasma when the pressure is 10.0 atm. assume that henry's constant for nitrogen at 37C is 5.8E-7 mol*L^-1*atm^-1.

OK. I know I need to use henry's law, s=k*p, but I need some help calculating p, the partial pressure of nitrogen. Then I can use PV=nRT to solve for the volume, right?

TIA.

2. Apr 14, 2005

### physicsss

anyone? :-/

3. Apr 14, 2005

### Gokul43201

Staff Emeritus
As far as I know the equation for solubility is written :

$$p = K_c \cdot s~,~$$

but, from the dimensions you quote for your value of k, your expression (s=k*p) is correct. So, my Kc is 1/k, but that's irrelevant now. Use your expression :

s = k*p

where :
k = 5.8E-7 mol/L-atm
p = partial pressure of nitrogen = 10 atm (I recommend this number, only because of lack of additional information...it may be that you must use 7.8 atm, but I'm not certain)

Plugging these in will give you s. But you know the volume of blood, so . . . . . .

Last edited: Apr 14, 2005