The partial pressure of oxygen in the lungs is about 150 mm of Hg. (The partial pressure is the pressure of the oxygen alone, if all other gases were removed.) This corresponds to a concentration of 5.3×10^24 molecules per m^3. In the oxygen-depleted blood entering the pulmonary capillaries, the concentration is 1.4×10^24 molecules per m^3. The blood is separated from air in the alveoli of the lungs by a 1-μm -thick membrane. Assume the diffusion coefficient for oxygen in tissue is 2×10^−11m^2/s. 1.) What is the rate of transfer of oxygen to the blood through the 5×10^−9  surface area of one alveolus? Give your answer in molecules/s. Give your answer to 1 significant figure. 2.) What is the same rate of transfer in μmol/s? Give your answer to 1 significant figure.

Introduction to General, Organic and Biochemistry
11th Edition
ISBN:9781285869759
Author:Frederick A. Bettelheim, William H. Brown, Mary K. Campbell, Shawn O. Farrell, Omar Torres
Publisher:Frederick A. Bettelheim, William H. Brown, Mary K. Campbell, Shawn O. Farrell, Omar Torres
Chapter5: Gases, Liquids, And Solids
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The partial pressure of oxygen in the lungs is about 150 mm of Hg. (The partial pressure is the pressure of the oxygen alone, if all other gases were removed.) This corresponds to a concentration of 5.3×10^24 molecules per m^3. In the oxygen-depleted blood entering the pulmonary capillaries, the concentration is 1.4×10^24 molecules per m^3. The blood is separated from air in the alveoli of the lungs by a 1-μm -thick membrane. Assume the diffusion coefficient for oxygen in tissue is 2×10^−11m^2/s.

1.) What is the rate of transfer of oxygen to the blood through the 5×10^−9  surface area of one alveolus? Give your answer in molecules/s. Give your answer to 1 significant figure.

2.) What is the same rate of transfer in μmol/s? Give your answer to 1 significant figure.

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