What does Henry's Law state regarding the solubility of gases in liquids?

Henry's Law states that the amount of gas that dissolves in a liquid is directly proportional to the partial pressure of that gas above the liquid. This means that as the partial pressure of the gas increases, more of that gas will dissolve in the liquid until the gas-saturated solution reaches equilibrium. This relationship is crucial in applications such as scuba diving, where the pressure changes can influence how much nitrogen, for instance, remains dissolved in a diver's bloodstream as they descend or ascend.

The focus of Henry's Law helps in understanding phenomena such as decompression sickness, as it highlights how increased pressure during a dive allows greater amounts of gas to be absorbed by the body, which must be managed carefully during ascent to prevent gas bubbles from forming within the tissues.