What equilibrium exists between dissolved gas in water and atmospheric gas; how does this equilibrium evolve with temperature?

1 Answer
anor277
Jun 17, 2017

#"Gas in solution "rightleftharpoons" Gas in atmosphere"#

Explanation:

Most gases have some solubility in water, and there is physical equilibrium between dissolved gas and gas in the atmosphere, and of course these must be dissolved oxygen in the ocean to support aquatic life.

If you keep gold-fish, you see some aquaria with a bubbler that pumps in air to the bottom of the tank, and maintains equilibrium between dissolved oxygen and atmospheric oxygen.

Because a gas is more soluble in COLD water (or cold solvent), fisheries in the northern latitudes (and perhaps southern latitudes) tend to be prolific, presumably because of the availability of dioxygen #"dissolved"# in colder seawater.

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