A scuba diver has his lungs filled to half capacity (3 liters) 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 liters) at the surface? Assume the temperature is the same at all depths. (The density of water is 1.0 × 10³kg/m³.)

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to Boyle's Law (P1V1 = P2V2), the pressure and volume of a gas are inversely proportional if the temperature is constant. At 10 m depth, the pressure is approximately 2 atm (1 atm from the surface and 1 atm from the water). At the surface, the pressure is 1 atm. Therefore, if the initial volume is 3 liters at 2 atm, the volume at 1 atm will be 6 liters (since 2 atm * 3 liters = 1 atm * V2, solving gives V2 = 6 liters).

A Scuba Diver Has His Lungs Filled to Half Capacity