how much oxygen is there in the air pockets in underwater caves, and is it replenished somehow?
In: Biology
Often times, absolutely zero.
That’s one of the biggest dangers of exploring underwater caves, it is totally possible that you emerge into a large air pocket that hasn’t been exposed to the outside in years and contains zero oxygen so your first breath is your last. You could also emerge into a pocket full of hydrogen sulfide from decaying organic matter, again first breath is the last.
Unless the water recedes far enough that there’s a direct air connection between the air pocket and the entrance of the cave, the only way to replenish the oxygen in the air pocket is by diffusion through the water, but this is going to be a slow process.
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