Altitude Oxygen Calculator

Calculate atmospheric pressure in mbar/atm and partial pressure of oxygen (mmHg) at any altitude in feet or meters. Includes AMS risk, aviation cabin altitude, FAA supplemental oxygen rules, and time-of-useful-consciousness thresholds.

ft
Atmospheric Pressure (mbar)
Pressure (atm)
Partial Pressure O₂ (mmHg)
Effective O₂ % (sea-level equiv.)
Extended More scenarios, charts & detailed breakdown
ft
Pressure (mbar)
Partial O₂ Pressure (mmHg)
Effective O₂ % (sea-level equiv.)
Professional Full parameters & maximum detail
ft
Pressure (mbar)
Pressure (atm)
PO₂ (mmHg)
Effective O₂ % (sea-level equiv.)
Hypoxia / O₂ Requirement

How to Use This Calculator

  1. Enter altitude in feet or meters.
  2. See atmospheric pressure (mbar and atm), partial O₂ pressure (mmHg), and effective oxygen %.
  3. Use Common Cities to look up Denver, Mexico City, Lhasa, La Paz, or Everest.
  4. Use Aviation Cabin Altitude to model commercial flight conditions.
  5. Switch to Professional for hypoxia risk and FAA supplemental oxygen rules.

Formula

Barometric Formula: P = P₀ × (1 − L×h/T₀)^5.2561
P₀ = 1013.25 mbar, T₀ = 288.15 K, L = 0.0065 K/m
PO₂ (mmHg) = P × 0.2095 × 0.75006

Example

Denver (5,280 ft = 1,609 m): P = 1013.25 × (1 − 0.0065×1609/288.15)^5.2561 = 838 mbar, effective O₂ ≈ 17.3%.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The percentage of oxygen in air (20.9%) stays constant, but atmospheric pressure drops with altitude. Lower pressure means each breath delivers fewer oxygen molecules. At 18,000 ft, pressure is roughly half sea-level, giving the equivalent of only ~10.5% oxygen at sea level.
  • AMS can begin at 8,000 ft in susceptible individuals. Significant symptoms typically onset above 10,000 ft. Severe AMS/HACE/HAPE risk rises sharply above 14,000 ft.
  • FAA regulations require pilots to use supplemental oxygen if flying above 12,500 ft MSL for more than 30 minutes, above 14,000 ft at any time, and above 15,000 ft all passengers must be provided oxygen.
  • TUC is how long a person can perform useful tasks at altitude without supplemental oxygen. At 25,000 ft it is ~3–5 minutes; at 40,000 ft it drops to 15–30 seconds — why aircraft decompression is a critical emergency.

Related Calculators

Sources & References (5)
  1. NOAA US Standard Atmosphere — NOAA
  2. FAA Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge — Chapter 7: Altitude — FAA
  3. NASA Earth Atmosphere Model — NASA
  4. ICAR — High Altitude Medicine Guidelines — ICAR (International Climbing & Mountaineering Federation)
  5. Hackett P, Roach R — High-Altitude Medicine, NEJM 2001 — New England Journal of Medicine