The Bends Questions
1. What effect does pressure have on solutions where the solvent is liquid and the
solute is gas?
a. The pressure increases the solubility (the ability of one substance to spread
out uniformly throughout another substance.
2. What is the scientific explanation for the bends?
a. Under increased pressure, more nitrogen from air dissolves in a diver’s
blood. So at saturation more nitrogen is dissolved in the blood. When the
diver returns to surface pressure, the blood is supersaturated. Nitrogen
comes out of solution as bubbles, which causes the bends.
5th Grade
Mixtures and Solutions
Investigation 2