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Name: June Hagberg
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Question:
Would it be possible for humans to breathe liquid oxygen?


Replies:
Liquid oxygen is very cold, more than 200 degrees below zero on the centigrade scale. At this temperature all of the desirable physical properties of the lung would be nonfunctional. To get an idea of how the flexibility of the lung would change, place a carnation in some liquid nitrogen or a super deep freeze. Your question is interesting though because it would be desirable to breath liquid instead of gas under certain conditions. Special liquids are being designed to carry dissolved gaseous oxygen to the lung and to remove carbon dioxide. Even fish are breathing dissolved oxygen, the water is much too warm for liquid oxygen.

Michael B Lomonaco


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