Problem 8

Background and context

Partial pressure is an individual pressure exerted independently by a particular gas within a mixture of gasses. The air is a mixture of gasses such as primarily nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide. The air generates total pressure due to part to nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide. The total pressure generated by oxygen is known as the ‘partial pressure' of oxygen. Therefore, a measure of gas’s partial pressure gives an idea of how much of that gas is present there.