If most people can hold their breath for at least a minute at ground level, why would we lose consciousness within seconds of being exposed to high altidude air pressure?

Question

If most people can hold their breath for at least a minute at ground level, why would we lose consciousness within seconds of being exposed to high altidude air pressure?

In: 17

Answer 1

There is literally less air at altitude than at sea level. At sea level you have miles of air above pressing down on the air, compressing it. I remember reading that at 10,000 ft (I may be a bit off on the altitude) there is half as much air molecules above you as at sea level, and the curve gets even more pronounced at 40,000 ft

The best visual example I’ve seen of this was a 2 ft clear cylinder of cotton balls. At the top of the cylinder the balls are big and fluffy like you’d expect, but you can see the balls at the bottom compressed flat from the weight of all the cotton balls above