A scuba diver at a depth of 130 feet has a minute respiratory volume of 5 L/min. Expressed as a sea level equivalent, the rate of air use from his tank is which of the following?

Question

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At a depth of 130 feet, the ambient pressure is approximately 4 atmospheres (1 atmosphere per 33 feet of seawater). This means that the diver is breathing in air at 4 times the density as if he were at the surface. Therefore, he is using 4 times as much air per minute as he would at the surface. This gives us 5 L/min x 4 = 20 L/min. However, we need to express this rate as a sea level equivalent. At sea level, the atmospheric pressure is approximately 1 atmosphere. Therefore, we need to divide 20 L/min by 4 to get the sea level equivalent, which is 5 L/min. Therefore, the answer is D, 25 L/min.

A Scuba Diver at a Depth of 130 Feet Has