Why is breathing pure oxygen at 1 atmosphere toxic, but breathing pure oxygen at 1/3rd atmosphere safe for astronauts?
In: Biology
It is all about partial pressures.
For example at sea level we have about 20% oxygen. If you breathe compressed air (SCUBA) at 160 feet deep (5 atmospheres) then because of the pressure it is equivalent to breathing pure oxygen at sea level.
1/3rd atmosphere of pure oxygen is like air that is 33% oxygen at sea level.
* all numbers are approximations – do some googling to get more accurate numbers.
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