How does a scuba diver’s oxygen tank last for ~1 hour but an astronaut’s lasts ~6-8 hours when both tanks are around the same size?
In: Technology
Diving air is usually either regular air at 21% oxygen or Nitrox with up to 40% oxygen, and 60% nitrogen. Astronauts on spacewalks with tanks of 100% oxygen. Divers can’t use 100% oxygen because it’s poisonous under high pressures, while space suits maintain comfortable low pressures.
In other words, they get 5x more oxygen per tank.
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