Why is the concentration of helium increased in some gas mixtures that divers breath in order to reduce the partial pressure of oxygen?

Because of oxygen toxicity.

Explanation:

Oxygen toxicity.

Oxygen has been known to cause central nervous system (CNS) toxicity when the pressure gets higher. This toxicity can cause convulsions, and this can cause the diver to drown.

The current standard maximum safe oxygen working pressure is 1.4 atm ppO2. This is equal to 56.5m/185′ when breathing air (21% O2 / 79% N). Below that depth the fraction of oxygen in a breathing gas must be reduced, and in order to maintain this maximum pressure of 1.4 ppO2, Helium must be added.

a 20-cm-long, cylindrical graphite (pure carbon) rod is inserted into an oxidizing atmosphere at 1145 k and 1.013 x 105 pa pressure. the oxidizing process is limited by the diffu- sion of oxygen counterflow to the carbon monoxide that is formed on the cylindrical surface.

a. the law of proportion states the combination of 2 atoms in a specific ratio to produce multiple compounds such as the given statement of question ‘1st compound contains 88.8 % cu ’ indicates 88.8 g of cu is present along with 11.2 g oxygen in 100 g of compound whereas the statement ‘2st compound contains 79.9 % cu ’ indicates 79.9 g of cu is present along with 20.1 g oxygen in 100 g of compound

1st compound contains 88.8 g cu

for cu

m = 63 g /mol

atomic % = 88.8 /63 = 1.42

for o

m = 16 g /mol

atomic % = 11.2 /16 = 0.7

b. the emperical formula of 1st compound is

cu1.4o0.7

cu2o