question for the scientists among us:

[TwentyOne]

How much is the altitude in Denver a factor for a professional football player? Be honest. The Cowboys haven't played there in years and I do remember the 90's Cowboys performing well in Denver... but that was decades ago.

Thanks.

Mile High Stadium is really a mile high, isn't it ?

if it is so i would say it gives you about an 10-20% advantage over an opponent that isn't used to it.

 

[Vtwin]

I spend the majority of my time between 100 and 600 ft above sea level.

Took a bike trip to Colorado and Utah this summer. I began to notice the lack of O2 about 5k'. At 8k' I most definitely noticed it. Interestingly enough, my bike (old school carbed) didn't really seem to notice it until 10k+.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Mile High Stadium is really a mile high, isn't it ?

if it is so i would say it gives you about an 10-20% advantage over an opponent that isn't used to it.

Denver is 5,281 feet above sea level. One foot higher than a mile.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

The air is dryer. You dehydrate faster as well.

There air is thin and has less oxygen.

The atmospheric pressure is less. So what would normally flow into and out of your mouth/nose is less. Therefore you need to inhale harder. Work harder to get the same amount of air as when at sea level.

 

[YosemiteSam]

The air is dryer. You dehydrate faster as well.

There air is thin and has less oxygen.

The atmospheric pressure is less. So what would normally flow into and out of your mouth/nose is less. Therefore you need to inhale harder. Work harder to get the same amount of air as when at sea level.

Actually, that isn't exactly correct. The amount of oxygen is the same at higher altitudes as it is at lower altitudes, it's the atmospheric pressure that cause the problem. The reduced pressure negatively affects the gas exchange in the lungs. (the ability for the lungs to extract the oxygen from the air)

So, the oxygen level in the air is the same, but the person breathing it doesn't get as much oxygen in the exchange with each breath.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

Actually, that isn't exactly correct. The amount of oxygen is the same at higher altitudes as it is at lower altitudes, it's the atmospheric pressure that cause the problem. The reduced pressure negatively affects the gas exchange in the lungs. (the ability for the lungs to extract the oxygen from the air)

So, the oxygen level in the air is the same, but the person breathing it doesn't get as much oxygen in the exchange with each breath.

then doctor, by your hypothosis and calibrationary measurements, then them sherpas carrying oxygen to the humalayas don't need to be doing so?

There is a reason why professionals, well schooled in higher altitudes, always refer to thinner air.

But I will defer to my laboratory trials on that. I have a denver fan strapped to a chair and will experiment with lesser amounts of oxigen and then put more and less pressure in the air. It's so funny when hee's eyes bug out. ha-ha.

 

[YosemiteSam]

then doctor, by your hypothosis and calibrationary measurements, then them sherpas carrying oxygen to the humalayas don't need to be doing so?

There is a reason why professionals, well schooled in higher altitudes, always refer to thinner air.

But I will defer to my laboratory trials on that. I have a denver fan strapped to a chair and will experiment with lesser amounts of oxigen and then put more and less pressure in the air. It's so funny when hee's eyes bug out. ha-ha.

ABC of oxygen: Oxygen at high altitude

Move along little boy.

 

[DallasEast]

Near the end of Total Recall, there's this scene where Arnold Schwarzenegger and Rachel Tecon (sp?) are thrown out into the thin Mars atmosphere. They start thrashing, gasping for air, their eyes start bulging out of their sockets, their bodies begin to swell up and they're about to EXPLODE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yep, that's what's going to happen to the Cowboys Sunday afternoon.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

An Indian School Road jogger myself.
Red or green?

Christmas.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I do Tramway myself.

Green! I love the red too but it tears my stomach up.

I love Red if you do it right. Boil the pods, grind the pods, seeds and all, and then cook it up. I love real red chili with beef and potatos. I love it over Enchiladas or eggs or anything almost.

I love fresh Green chile chopped on crackers even. I love it in eggs or burritos. I love Green chile with pork, made into gravy and over mashed potatos.

I just love good chili and I don't care much what it's in or over or whatever.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Near the end of Total Recall, there's this scene where Arnold Schwarzenegger and Rachel Tecon (sp?) are thrown out into the thin Mars atmosphere. They start thrashing, gasping for air, their eyes start bulging out of their sockets, their bodies begin to swell up and they're about to EXPLODE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yep, that's what's going to happen to the Cowboys Sunday afternoon.

I don't think that will happen DE. Denver's chili is not nearly as good as ours is.

:laugh2:

 

[craig71]

I love Red if you do it right. Boil the pods, grind the pods, seeds and all, and then cook it up. I love real red chili with beef and potatos. I love it over Enchiladas or eggs or anything almost.

I love fresh Green chili chopped on crackers even. I love it in eggs or burritos. I love Green chili with pork, made into gravy and over mashed potatos.

I just love good chili and I don't care much what it's in or over or whatever.

I'm glad I read this post,it made my mind up for Mexican food today.

Craig

 

[Doomsday101]

Overall this is not a big deal, teams have been going to Denver for years to play and I have never seen opposing team’s player collapsing because of the thinner air. On the other hand I have seen more ill effects on players playing in extreme heat. I think Wade will have the Cowboys ready to go and understand the thinner air situation in Denver considering he coached there for a few years.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I'm glad I read this post,it made my mind up for Mexican food today.

Craig

At-a-Boy! Can't go wrong with good chili, red or green.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Overall this is not a big deal, teams have been going to Denver for years to play and I have never seen opposing team’s player collapsing because of the thinner air. On the other hand I have seen more ill effects on players playing in extreme heat. I think Wade will have the Cowboys ready to go and understand the thinner air situation in Denver considering he coached there for a few years.

I've seen it Dooms. I've seen it more in basketball then football but I have seen it.

 

[Doomsday101]

I've seen it Dooms. I've seen it more in basketball then football but I have seen it.

Not saying it has 0 affects but teams manage to go to Denver and other places that have a high altitude and perform. As I said I have seen hot condition create a lot more problems than the Denver altitude

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Not saying it has 0 affects but teams manage to go to Denver and other places that have a high altitude and perform. As I said I have seen hot condition create a lot more problems than the Denver altitude

I think this is true. I see it more when you don't rotate players well or in the passing game. DBs get gassed easily. For year, Denver ran that hurry up behind Elway and they would run 3 or 4 plays quick and all of a sudden, they send everybody deep and that's when it shows up. You get a guy free because the DBs get gassed and they just don't have enough time to adjust. It can be managed but it is definatly and advantage for Denver.

 

[Doomsday101]

I think this is true. I see it more when you don't rotate players well or in the passing game. DBs get gassed easily. For year, Denver ran that hurry up behind Elway and they would run 3 or 4 plays quick and all of a sudden, they send everybody deep and that's when it shows up. You get a guy free because the DBs get gassed and they just don't have enough time to adjust. It can be managed but it is definatly and advantage for Denver.

I just don't think it is that big of an edge. Denver home record over the last few years has not been all that great

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I just don't think it is that big of an edge. Denver home record over the last few years has not been all that great

Altitude doesn't trump talent. That's the single biggest reason they haven't won but if you look at Denver when they do have some talent, they are very tough to beat at home. It's not a coincidence that Denver has been able to use smaller lines for so many years and still be very effective on both sides of the ball. What they have done for years is use smaller, quicker lineman and just force tempo. Teams with big lines often break down late in games and Denver manages to somehow pull them out. A lot of that is altitude but your correct. The past few years, they have not done as well. No substitute for talent.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Actually, that isn't exactly correct. The amount of oxygen is the same at higher altitudes as it is at lower altitudes, it's the atmospheric pressure that cause the problem. The reduced pressure negatively affects the gas exchange in the lungs. (the ability for the lungs to extract the oxygen from the air)

So, the oxygen level in the air is the same, but the person breathing it doesn't get as much oxygen in the exchange with each breath.

I see what you are saying.
I found this


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The important effect of this decrease in pressure is this: in a given volume of air, there are fewer molecules present. This is really just another way of saying that the pressure is lower (this is called Boyle's law). The percentage of those molecules that are oxygen is exactly the same: 21%. The problem is that there are fewer molecules of everything present, including oxygen.

So although the percentage of oxygen in the atmosphere is the same, the thinner air means there is less oxygen to breathe.

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Its a little confusing. "same percentage of oxygen" yet thinner air means "there is less oxygen to breathe"