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The original was posted on /r/explainlikeimfive by /u/Golden_showers on 2023-06-27 10:07:32+00:00.
Original Title: Eli5. Why does the compression change in breathing compressed air at different depths? Surely the ‘oxy-mix’ metal container doesn’t physically ‘compress’ any further than it has in 1atm (unless at near Hadal Depths)
Im obviously confused somewhere. But let me explain further.
You have a metal container, carrying your breathable gas mix (depending on your depth). If this container doesn’t actually physically compress further due to the rigidity of the metal, then why would breathing a 80-20 mix of Ni and O in a compressed container cause any effects?
What effects are you talking about? Your lungs are under pressure at depth so as gas leaves the tank at depth it will compressed. The amount of compressed gas that it takes to fill your lungs at 2 ATM is more than at 1 ATM. Therefore your body has more molecules of each gas in your mix available to absorb. When you come up, those extra gasses have to get out of your blood and lungs. The only way out is to breathe them out and that takes a while.