Introduction
This is the study on the behaviors of different gases and fluids and its effects when influenced with an increase in pressure. The variations of pressure affect the normal functioning of the body, resulting to negative and positive impacts. An increase on body oxygenation and carbon dioxide level results to oxygen poisoning disease and caisson diseases.
Pressure
This is the processes of pressing that result into a body compression due to external force applied. In physics, force applied to anybody is uniform, and it causes a state of deformation or movement to a body responsible. Pressure applied in relates with height and the amount applied, measured as a force per unit area. The equation relating force and area that is a result of pressure is as shown below (Galan, 2010).
Pressure (P) =Force (F)/Area (A) or P= dFn/dA
Pressures acts normal to the surface of any element, hence regarded as a scalar quantity. Pressure is a scalar quantity with no direction since each quantity relates to the quantity of pressure delivered. Pressure remains constant as the direction of the force applied to an element changes. Pressure travels both in liquid, gases and fluid hence its SI units are Pascal. It is useful when measuring volume in thermodynamics parameters hence it has a wide range of measuring the energy stored like atmospheric pressure. We measure body pressure using mercury.
Variations of pressure on atmospheric pressure
A variation in pressure affects and influence of atmospheric pressure on a given surface. Atmospheric pressure is the force exerted on the earth’s surface of a body by the influence of weight. Pressure is inversely proportional to force. When pressure is high, the force applied is high while the area is low. The atmospheric pressure varies from different places on the earth and these results into the difference of weather and climate changes (Braschi, 2010).
Variations of pressure with depth
As the body goes deeper into a fluid or a gas, the pressure increases since the body displaces more gases or fluid and thus this influence more weight the body has. The variation on pressure is calculated by studying the volume height and the cross-sectional area. When there is no force applied on a given body in a fluid or gas, the body remains at the equilibrium point. Three external forces act upon a body by the influence of pressure on a fluid or a gas, which includes; the atmospheric pressure, the weight of fluid characterized by density and the force from the bottom of the fluid. Meanwhile, pressure affects only density of the fluid and the depth difference.
Physiological effects
Movement on earth governs the presence of force of gravity. When force of gravity removed on the surface of the earth, human biological processes alters, affecting normal movement of people on the earth surface. The normal function of the body changes when pressure increases. Weightlessness is a result from pressure changes that lead to dehydration. Changes in pressure affect the cardiovascular system, causing a rise in the body’s blood pressure due to abnormal function of the blood flow.
Moreover, changes in pressure also lead to bone deterioration due to zero gravity influence. In addition, caisson disease is a symptom characterized by various signs like muscles pain, deafness, vomiting, fainting and embarrassed breathing. Caisson disease increases when pressure is high hence an increase in physiological problems of the body (winter, 2003).
Meanwhile, oxygen poisoning, which is also known as oxygen toxicity, results to harmful breathing through the effects of poor molecular oxygen. Central nervous system of the body alters when the cells of the body damages, resulting into death. When concentration of oxygen is greater than the atmospheric pressure, central nervous systems lead to toxicity problems. The symptoms of oxygen poisoning include; disorientation, problems in breathing, cell damage, myopia and retinal detachment.
In addition, the effect of physiological pressure affects and alters normal circulation of carbon dioxide in the body. The common effect caused by the influence of carbon dioxide is hyperventilation. Physiological states like a panic attack and metabolic acidosis cause hyperventilation. Carbon dioxide controls the body temperature to normal level by the help of hyperventilation that reduces body pressure. Hyperventilation occurs due to rapid succession during deep breath, diseases from lungs and stroke (Otomo, 2004).
Conclusion
Overall, pressure is vital to the growth of human health. Pressure is inversely proportional to force. When pressure is high, the force applied is high, and the area is low and. When there is no force applied on a given body in a fluid or gas, the body remains at the equilibrium point. The cells of the body are affected when we have variations in the level of body’s carbon dioxide. Changes in the height or depth affect the amount of pressure inserted. When the pressure of the body changes, there are changes in the normal functioning of the body cells and this leads to introduction of caisson disease in the body and hyperventilation problems.
References
Braschi, M. (2010). Reducing Blood Pressure Naturally: Learn all about how to avoid drugs with nasty side effects and prevent or even reverse the physiological factors that sometimes fatal chronic condition. New York: Unique Enterprises.
Galan, A. (2010). The harmonic formula of Fourier and Bessel and its application to the study of the diurnal variation of the atmospheric pressure in Manila during the period 1890-1909. United Kingdom: Nabu Press.
Otomo, J. (2004). Effect of carbon dioxide absorbent on initial hydrogen production from epoxy resin under high-temperature and -pressure steam conditions [An article from: Chemical Engineering Journal]. United Kingdom: Elsevier publisher.
Winter, R. (2003). Advances in High Pressure Bioscience and Biotechnology II (v. 2). United Kingdom: Springer publisher.