Certified Hyperbaric Technologist Practice Test 2025 – Comprehensive Exam Prep

The phenomenon of dissolving more oxygen in the blood during hyperbaric oxygen therapy is best explained by Henri's Law. This law states that the amount of gas that dissolves in a liquid at a given temperature is directly proportional to the partial pressure of that gas above the liquid.

In the context of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, the therapy involves increasing the ambient pressure, which in turn increases the partial pressure of oxygen. As the partial pressure of oxygen rises, more of it can dissolve in the plasma of the blood. This increased solubility allows for a greater amount of oxygen to be transported to tissues, enhancing the therapeutic effects of the treatment.

While other gas laws deal with different phenomena—such as Boyle's Law, which relates to volume and pressure of gases, and Dalton's Law, which pertains to the total pressure of a gas mixture—Henri's Law specifically addresses the relationship between pressure and the solubility of gases in liquids, making it the correct explanation for the increased oxygen absorption observed during hyperbaric oxygen therapy.