CLIMBING MOUNT EVEREST
& THE GAS LAWS
On the way to the summit, a climber will pass over 200 bodies of previous climbers.
Only about 1 in 4 people will succeed in the climb
Impact on Society
- $10,000 fee to Nepalese government
- over the last 6 decades, about 210 individuals have died in attempt to climb
- can affect pilots in unpressurized aircrafts, as well as climbers
- can lead to heart attack
- Advanced-In Flight Rebreather
- first oxygenless ascent was done by Reinhold Messner
- 1993 was the worst year (129 died)
- most die from avalanches (about 1 in 2)
- formed about 60 million years ago
- named after Sir George Everest in 1865
APPLICATION TO THE GAS LAWS
KINETIC MOLECULAR THEORY
Graham's Law of Diffusion
FACTS
HOW THE LUNGS WORK CLIMBING MOUNT EVEREST
- can be used to determine the safety of certain altitudes
- speed of molecules = atmospheric pressure
- low air pressure = stoppage of vital functions
- pressure of a gas is caused by the collision of molecules within the walls of the container
- gas particles move in straight paths
- they collide with walls of container
BOYLE'S LAW
4,000
?
people attempted to climb
PV=k
- world's tallest mountain (29,029 ft)
- 3,000 individual have reached summit
- every year Mt. Everest rises a few millimeters due to natural geological forces
660
were successful
- inhale = diaphragm and ribcage enlarge
- thoracic cavity volume increases
- when volume increases, pressure decreases
- exhale= diaphragm and ribcage return to previous volume
- volume of thoracic cavity decreases, pressure inside lung increases
- pressure inside climber's lungs is increased there are more frequent collisions of oxygen molecules
Dalton's Law of Partial Pressure
The Himalayan Jumping Spider can live up to 22,000 feet (6,700 meters) on Mount Everest.
- higher the altitude the thinner the air
- body must work harder to pass more air through lungs
- body adapts to lower oxygen levels by increasing production of red blood cells
- ----red blood cells carry oxygen throughout -----the body
highest known permanent resident on Earth.
- respiration: breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide
- partial pressure of a gas= pressure of oxygen that determines how much oxygen is absorbed by the lungs of the climber
- humans function best breathing 159.6 torr of partial pressure of oxygen
- at higher elevations, partial pressure of oxygen is lower
- on top of Mt. Everest= partial pressure of oxygen is 56.7 torr (1/3 of normal)
- How do climbers train for Mount Everest?
- How do higher altitudes affect the respiratory system of a human?
- How does a "rebreather" help a climber reach the top of Mt. Everest?
- summit temperature never rises above 0 degrees Celsius
Altitude Sickness
- caused by acute exposure to low partial pressure of oxygen at high altitude
- commonly occurs above 2,400 meters
- air density (number of molecules of oxygen per given volume decreases as altitude increases)
- usually occurs following rapid ascent (500 meters)
at 26,000 ft ("Death Zone"), climbers must use breathing apparatus
- pure oxygen = an elevated partial pressure of oxygen in the blood
- climber breathing pure oxygen at summit of Mt. Everest = greater oxygen partial pressure than breathing air at sea level
- = being able to exert greater physical effort at altitude
Symptoms:
- difficulty sleeping
- fatigue
- dizziness
- headache
- rapid pulse
- vomiting
- shortness of breath
?
How to Train
- swimming
- running
- biking
- weight lifting
- climbing
- gain weight
- gain stamina
- gain endurance