Question

Deep sea divers use $(O_2+He)$ mixture in preference to $(O_2+N_2)$ mixture. This is because :

• A. helium is lighter than nitrogen.
• B. helium is less soluble in blood than nitrogen.
• C. helium is more soluble in blood.
• D. helium provides a better inert atmosphere than nitrogen.

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

helium is less soluble in blood than nitrogen.

$He+O_2$ is used by deep sea diver instead of $O_2+N_2$, this is because the intermolecular force in He is low thus it is much less soluble in aqueous solution such as a blood and does not cause any kind of sickness to the diver by bubbling out of the blood when diver move from high pressure to atmospheric pressure.