Question

(a) Calculate the total volume (in liters) of air an adult breathes in a day. (b) In a city with heavy traffic, the air contains 2.1 x 10^-6L of carbon monoxide (a poisonous gas) per liter. Calculate the average daily intake of carbon monoxide in liters by a person.

Answer 1

Answer:

a) V air/day = 8640 L air  an adult breaths / day

b) 0.0181 L CO intake a person / day

Explanation:

a) one average person has 12 breaths for min:

• P = 12 breath/min

in each breath it take an average  of 500 mL on air.

• 1 breath ≅ 500 mL air

⇒ 12 breath / min * 500mL air / breath = 6000 mL air / min

the average air volume per day of a person is:

⇒ Vair/day = 6000 mL air / min * (60 min / h) * ( 24 h / day ) = 8640000 mLair / day * ( L / 1000 mL)

⇒ V air / day = 8640 L / day

b) 2.1 E-6 L CO / L air * 8640 L air / day = 0.0181 L CO / day