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Explain the following with the help of Henry’s law : (i) Bends (ii) Anoxia

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To prevent bends, modern scuba tanks use air diluted with Helium. Helium is used because it has very low solubility in blood even at high pressures.
Updated On: Jul 23, 2026
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Solution and Explanation

Step 1: State Henry's law in the form needed here.
Henry's law tells us that the amount of a gas that dissolves in a liquid is directly proportional to the partial pressure of that gas above the liquid, so raising the pressure pushes more gas into solution and lowering it pulls gas back out.
Step 2: Explain "bends" using this idea.
A deep sea diver breathes air at high pressure, so by Henry's law extra nitrogen dissolves into the blood and tissues far beyond normal levels. If the diver surfaces too quickly, the pressure drops suddenly, and all that dissolved nitrogen cannot stay in solution anymore, it bubbles out inside blood vessels and tissues, blocking capillaries and pressing on nerves, causing the painful condition called the bends.
Step 3: Explain anoxia using the same idea.
High up on a mountain, the partial pressure of oxygen in the air is much lower than at sea level, so by Henry's law much less oxygen dissolves into a climber's blood. This oxygen shortage in the tissues is called anoxia, and it leaves climbers feeling weak, dizzy, and mentally foggy until they acclimatize or descend.
Step 4: Summarize both cases.
Both conditions trace back to the same principle, changing pressure changes how much gas the blood can hold in solution. \[ \boxed{\text{Bends: } N_2 \text{ bubbles on sudden depressurization; Anoxia: low } O_2 \text{ solubility at high altitude}} \]
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