Re: pinhole RE: Subject: CO2 partial pressure

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From: Paul Doherty (pauld@exploratorium.edu)
Date: Thu Jan 16 2003 - 15:02:45 PST 

Message-Id: <l03110710ba4ce9db483d@[192.174.3.125]>
Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2003 15:02:45 -0800
From: Paul Doherty <pauld@exploratorium.edu>
Subject: Re: pinhole RE: Subject: CO2 partial pressure

Hi Raleigh

The balloon is semipermeable to CO2, Nitrogen and Oxygen get through it
very slowly, CO@ goes through it much faster.

Indeed the inside CO2 goes out without knowledge of the outside CO2.

BUT!!! the outside CO2 goes in without any interference from the inside CO2.

The partial pressures give the numbers of CO2 molecules inside and outside
(since they are both roughly at atmospheric pressure.)

A lot higher partial pressure inside means that many CO2 molecules leave
every second. A low outside partial pressure means that few return.

Pretty soon the balloon is empty of CO2 and no other gasses have been able
to enter to replace it.

Paul D

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