What are the aspects of physics which directly affect an underwater diver?

Asked by: Julie Lopez

The physical effects of water or the underwater environment are: Pressure – the overall pressure on a diver is the sum of the local atmospheric pressure and hydrostatic pressure. Density – of the water, the diver’s body and equipment determines the diver’s buoyancy and the use of buoyant equipment.

Why is it important to know the diving physics as a diver?

This is important for divers to understand because they must be aware of oxygen toxicity (yes, you can have too much oxygen if you go too deep on enriched air) and Nitrogen Narcosis which occurs at depths around 100 feet and deeper and makes the diver sluggish and even drowsy and can have an effect on good decision …

What forces are acting on a scuba diver?

Gravity acts on the diver pulling them towards the water. The force is strong but not so strong that the diver hits the water instantly. Gravity pulls the diver towards the water and as the diver falls they accelerate, or fall faster, as the effects of gravity take greater affect.

What are the laws of physics that are with reference to diving?

Boyle’s Law



As a diver, Boyles law affects you every time you enter the water. Air spaces in the body are subjected to pressure and volume change, in direct proportion to your depth. Without doubt, understanding Boyle’s Law is very important in scuba diving.

How does Boyle’s law affect scuba diving?

Boyle’s Law is also important to divers because it means that if a diver takes a lung- ful of air while he is underwater, that air will expand in his lungs as he rises to the surface. If he holds his breath, or ascends too rapidly (like a cork) the expanding air can rupture his lungs.

What is the primary reason divers must know about the physics of gases?

Oxygen and nitrogen, however, do matter. Oxygen, because you need it to live. And Nitrogen because it can do bad things to your body. The effects of nitrogen are, in fact, the primary reason why divers must known about the physics of gasses.

How does water pressure affect divers?

As you descend, water pressure increases, and the volume of air in your body decreases. This can cause problems such as sinus pain or a ruptured eardrum. As you ascend, water pressure decreases, and the air in your lungs expands. This can make the air sacs in your lungs rupture and make it hard for you to breathe.

What do you call the force exerted by his body against the diving board?

An action force pushes in on direction while a reaction force pushes equally in the opposite direction. Both forces act on different objects. An example of this is when someone is jumping off a diving board. When the person pushes off the board with their feet, this is the action force.

What is the upward force on an object as it falls through the air?

Forces and Newton’s law quiz

Is Driving force a contact force?

Driving force is a contact force because an engine needs to make contact against a surface and use friction to accelerate the motion of the object. Driving Force can cause a vehicle to accelerate and can act to counter air resistance to keep a vehicle travelling at a constant speed.

How does Henry’s Law apply to diving?

To a scuba diver Henry’s Law tells us that at higher pressure our bodies will absorb more gases. At great depths, the amount of nitrogen (and other gases) absorbed into our blood and tissue is greater than the amount absorbed at shallow depths.

How do gas laws affect scuba diving?

The implication of this law for SCUBA diving is that as depth increases (and therefore pressure) the amount of a gas dissolved in the diver’s blood will also increase. Oxygen is consumed by the body’s physiological processes, but nitrogen is physiologically inert.

How does Charles law apply to diving?

Divers rely on equipment to adapt and become part of the underwater world, and having a basic knowledge of science helps ensure safety while diving. A common example of this is with Charles’ Law. Charles’ Law states that at a constant volume, the pressure of gas varies directly with absolute temperature.

How does underwater pressure work?

In the ocean, pressure works the same way, but instead of just having a column of air over you, you also have the weight of all the water above you, pressing down on your lungs. And water is much heavier than air. For every 10 meters you go below the surface, the pressure increases by one atmosphere.

How does the behavior of gases affect a scuba diver underwater?

As he ascends to a depth with less water pressure, this nitrogen gas expands according to Boyle’s Law. If a diver does not ascend slowly enough for his body to eliminate this expanding nitrogen gas, it can form tiny bubbles in his blood and tissue and cause decompression sickness.

How does Boyle’s law apply to submarines?

Gay-Lussac’s law or the pressure temperature law, states that the pressure of a given amount of gas held at constant volume is directly proportional to the Kelvin temperature. Boyle’s gas law- The deeper you go into the water the more pressure will be pushing on all the surface area of the submarine.

What law do submarines use?

Maintaining appropriate concentrations and pressures of oxygen is an important job aboard a submarine, and knowledge of Boyle’s Law is used daily. In the event an escape from a submarine should be necessary, understanding Boyle’s Law is vital for survival.

What gas laws do submarines?

Charles’s Law



states that with a fixed amount of gas at a constant pressure, the volume of the gas increases as the temperature of the gas decreases. Oxygen generators are used in submarines. It is a device that releases oxygen by a chemical reaction.

How do submarines relate to Charles Law?

One side of the gas law equation or represent something the other one will represent our constant. As you might know the deeper you go underwater more pressure that there will be this pressure exists

How do submarines work?

A submarine (or any boat) can float when the mass of water that it displaces (pushes out of the way) is equal to the mass of the boat. This displaced water causes an upward force called buoyancy. Buoyancy acts in the opposite direction to gravity, which would pull the ship down.

What is gas law chemistry?

The law states that at a constant volume, the pressure of the gas is directly proportional to the temperature for a given gas. If you heat up a gas, the molecules will be given more energy, they move faster. If you cool down the molecules, they slow down and the pressure decreases.

What gas laws apply to flight and pilot safety at high altitudes?

Boyles’ Law P1 x V1 = P2 x V2



At a constant temperature, the volume of gas is inversely proportional to its pressure. Basically, as you ascend in altitude (or to the surface if diving), gas expands to a greater volume due to decreased pressure exerted on it.

How the low pressure in high altitudes affects the body?

Decreased air pressure means that less oxygen is available for breathing. One normal effect of altitude is shortness of breath, since the lungs have to work harder to deliver oxygen to the bloodstream. It can take days and even weeks for a body to adjust to high altitude and low air pressure.

What gas law is associated with altitude sickness?

Boyle’s law can be used to describe the effects of altitude on gases in closed cavities within the body, and to calculate the total intra-thoracic gas volume by body plethysmography. As altitude increases, ambient pressure decreases, and therefore, by Boyle’s Law, volume expansion occurs in enclosed spaces.

How does Boyle’s law apply to plane travel?

Boyle’s law states that for a given temperature the volume is inversely proportional to the pressure. This law explains why sinuses or middle ear (which are normally fixed volume gas-filled spaces) may hurt when during altitude or pressure changes.

What are the effects of Boyle’s Law?

If volume increases, then pressure decreases and vice versa, when the temperature is held constant. Therefore, when the volume is halved, the pressure is doubled; and if the volume is doubled, the pressure is halved.

What is the difference between Henry’s Law and Boyle’s law?

Less dissolved gases can be dissolved in the fluid. So they will start to come out of the solution as we reduce the pressure. And boyle's losses as we reduce.