How are N95 masks effective if 5% doesn’t get filtered and passes through?

Question

To me I just don’t see how this would work or filter anything. So it 95% is blocked, then 5% of the particulate will pass through the filter and cause harm. It’s like saying you are on a submarine and saying it’s 95% sealed. Then the rest would fill up the submarine then you’d end up dead. Is there something else I’m missing here?

In: 0

Answer 1

95% of a specific particle size. Particles bigger than that are trapped more easily, and particles much smaller tend to stick to bigger particles.