What is Pressure?

Pressure for SCUBA Diving

 Describe Describe what is pressure

Explain why pressure

Explain increases under water

What you
will be able Describe Describe how much fresh
and saltwater weighs

to do: Calculate
Calculate how much weight
of water is above you at a
given depth

Analyze how much pressure

Analyze is exerted upon you at given
depths
What is Pressure?

• The force from the weight of

the air above you.
• If you weighed a column of air
1”x1” it would weigh 14.7 lbs.
• This constant pressure is called
one atmosphere (1 atm)
• This is known as Absolute
Pressure
Water has a weight

Fresh Water
• 34’ x 1 sq in. of fresh water = 14.7 lbs
• Exerts 14.7 psi = 1 atm
Salt Water
• 33’ x 1 sq in. of fresh water = 14.7 lbs
• Exerts 14.7 psi = 1 atm

Note: At sea level you are already under 1

atm of pressure, so at 33’ of depth in the
ocean you are at 2 atm, etc.
When you descend into the
water
The force from the weight of the air and the
weight of the water above you affects you.

• At the surface there is 1 atm of pressure

• At 33’/10m there are 2 atms
• At 66’/20m there are how many atms?
 • State the depths that are equal to one
atmosphere in salt and fresh water.
• State how many times greater the
Review pressure is at 40 meters (132 feet) of
sea water, than at the surface.
• State the absolute pressure at 20.7
meters (68 feet) in fresh water.