A scuba diver has his lungs filled to half capacity (3 litres) when 10 m below the surface. If the diver holds his breath while quietly rising to the surface, what will the volume of the lungs be (in litres) at the surface? Assume the temperature is the same at all depths. (The density of water is 1.0*103 kg/m3.)

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Using Boyle's Law (P1V1 = P2V2), the pressure at 10m depth is 2 atm (1 atm from the surface and 1 atm from the water). At the surface, the pressure is 1 atm. So, (2 atm)(3 L) = (1 atm)(V2), solving gives V2 = 6 L.

A Scuba Diver Has His Lungs Filled to Half Capacity