2006-11-30 16:04:19 · 5 answers · asked by echinate 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
Hi,
Well for one thing, humans can go way higher than that WITHOUT supplimentary oxygen. Quite a few people have climbed Mount Everest with no extra oxygen and it's altitude it over 29,000 feet!
This 13,000 foot limit is probably for pilots. With time, the human body adapts to altitude (over days it makes more and more red blood cells), that's why climbers can go that high without extra oxygen. But pilots, go up to that altitude very rapidly so they must have oxygen and even then there is a limit (13,000 feet.)
Above that altitude, as the person above said, you must pressurize the cabin so that the air is under a similar pressure to that on the ground. This is needed because the pressure helps the lungs absorb oxygen. At the low pressure at 13,000 feet, the rate of absorption is too slow for the rate your body uses it up, and you would begin to suffocate.
Good question by the way!
2006-11-30 16:34:06 · answer #1 · answered by timor_abesto 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Once we reach the height of 13,000m, Our body loses the ability to reabsorb Oxygen which we inhale and by that, our lungs are incapable of transferring Oxygen throughout the body.
2006-12-02 15:41:09 · answer #2 · answered by BioJENIUS 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
almost correct
if a pilot in an unpressurized cabin is flying at 12,000 ft - they can only stay above 12,000 and below 12,500 feet for 30 minutes before having to go on supplemental oxygen.
in an unpressurized cabin above 12,500 they must go on supplemental oxygen immediately.
WHY? Because the brain does not function correctly and stupid pilot errors can kill the pilot and their passengers.
2006-11-30 16:09:44 · answer #3 · answered by tomkat1528 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Good Question! If we had NO air we would die because when we just dont breath in and out your lungs soon fill up with carbondioxside and you soon cant breath you have water in your body and it just takes up your lungs and you will soon run out of air first you would move and kick your legs and you will soon just freeze in a posisition and you would let out a gasp of air and 2 seaconds lader you are DEAD. +p +p Thats why we need air!
2016-05-23 06:57:09 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Atmospheric pressure is too great-your lungs would collapse from the pressure.
2006-11-30 16:12:40 · answer #5 · answered by candl91402 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋