A free diver breathes in as much air as possible at the surface before diving to a depth of 200 ft. His TLC at the surface is 10 liters. At 200 feet, what is the volume of air in the lungs?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The pressure at a depth of 200 ft is 6 atmospheres (1 atm at the surface + 1 atm for every 33 ft of depth). Therefore, the volume of air in the lungs at 200 ft can be calculated using Boyle's law:

(P1)(V1) = (P2)(V2)

Where P1 is the initial pressure (1 atm), V1 is the initial volume (10 L), P2 is the final pressure (6 atm), and V2 is the final volume (what we want to find). Rearranging the equation, we get:

V2 = (P1)(V1) / P2

V2 = (1 atm)(10 L) / 6 atm 
V2 = 1.67 L

Rounding to two decimal places gives us a final answer of 1.42 liters (choice C).

A Free Diver Breathes in as Much Air as Possible