ianr33
Contributor
Why is the nitrogen compelled to balance?
The nitrogen will "balance" so as to maximize the entropy(disorder) of the system.
Read up on entropy if you want to get really confused. !
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Why is the nitrogen compelled to balance?
It's really a pretty simple matter of diffusion. The greater the difference in concentration between the Nitrogen in one compartment (blood) and another (airspaces in the lungs), the faster the rate of diffusion. Since air has nitrogen in it, the gradient isn't as great between the blood and the lungs, so nitrogen diffusion is slower.
So the reason that O2 is able to diffuse nitrogen faster is simply because it is not diffusing nitrogen back into your system during the gas exchange?
The nitrogen will "balance" so as to maximize the entropy(disorder) of the system.
Read up on entropy if you want to get really confused. !
There's a very good book, Deco for Divers, by Mark Powell, which is worth looking at if you're really interested.
So the reason that O2 is able to diffuse nitrogen faster is simply because it is not diffusing nitrogen back into your system during the gas exchange?