In this video we'll look at the solubility of air in water. Air is made up primarily of Nitrogen gas (N2 = 78%) and Oxygen gas (O2 = 21%) along with other trace gases. First we'll look at a diagram showing how N2 and O2 gases dissolve in water. Next we'll look at a computer animation that shows why less N2 and O2 is dissolved in water as the temperature increases.
The amount of oxygen dissolved in water is important for aquatic creatures, like fish. As temperatures increase the amount of oxygen dissolved will decrease. This limits the amount of O2 available for aquatic life.
Nitrogen gas and Oxygen gas can enter water by agitation (shaking it up so it mixes and the N2 and O2 can dissolve more readily due to increased surface area and mixing) or by diffusion due to the random motion of gas and liquid molecules. Either way, both Nitrogen (N2) and Oxygen gas (O2) is soluble in water.
