The barometric pressure on top of Mt. Everest is 250 mmHg. At an ambient temp of
ID: 3514077 • Letter: T
Question
The barometric pressure on top of Mt. Everest is 250 mmHg. At an ambient temp of -30°C and 50% relative humidity, what is the PO2 a) in the atmospheric air and b) in the mammalian lung (assume that PCO2 is “normal”). Early textbooks flatly stated no one would ever summit Everest without supplemental oxygen, now you see why. Reinhold Messner was the first to summit Everest with no supplemental oxygen in 1978. C) Should a person eat a diet of fat or carbohydrates on Everest? Explain why (with numbers!)**
Explanation / Answer
Answer a) - The partial pressure of oxygen decrease in the atmosphere as the altitude is increased. It means that as we go up in the air the partial pressure of oxygen is decreased and thus breathing becomes difficult. The partial pressure of oxygen at plaine area is around 160 mmHg. On Mt. Everest, this partial pressure of oxygen goes down to in the range of 20-25 mmHg. This atmospheric pressure causes increase in the breathing rate of the person.
Answer B) - The partial pressure of oxygen in the mammalian lungs also decreased at high altitudes like Mt. Everest due to decrease in the atmospheric oxygen. To compansate decreased oxygen, the person's breathing becomes fast.
Answer C) - The person should not eat a diet rich in fat or carbohydrates on Mt Everest because diet rich in fat and carbohydrates require more oxygen to make energy. For energy production from fat and carbohydrates there occur the process of aerobic respiration. Glycolysis is the process which require oxygen for the production of ATP, the energy molecules. Since the partial pressure of oxygen is less in high altitude atmosphere so the person climbing to Mt Everest are advised to avoid diet rich in fat and carbohydrates.
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