Why is it harder to breathe when climbing up a high mountain?
the air has more moisture
It is actually harder to breathe when climbing up a high mountain primarily due to decreased oxygen levels. As elevation increases, the atmospheric pressure decreases, resulting in a decrease in the amount of oxygen molecules per volume of air. This decrease in oxygen concentration makes it harder for our lungs to extract enough oxygen to meet our body's needs during physical exertion.
Additionally, at higher elevations, the air becomes thinner, meaning there are fewer air molecules in a given volume of space. This reduced air density makes it harder for the lungs to efficiently take in air and deliver oxygen to the body. Consequently, the respiratory system has to work harder to compensate for the lower oxygen availability, leading to a sensation of breathlessness or difficulty in breathing during activities like climbing at high altitudes.
While humidity levels can vary at different elevations, the increased moisture alone does not contribute significantly to the difficulty in breathing at high altitudes. The main contributing factor is the reduced oxygen availability due to lower atmospheric pressure and thinner air composition.