One day, while swimming below the surface of the ocean, you let out a number of bubbles of air from your mouth. As the bubbles rise toward the surface, their diameters will
A) decrease.
B) stay the same.
C) increase.
D) increase for half of the bubbles and decrease for the other half.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

As the bubbles rise toward the surface, the pressure around them decreases. According to Boyle's Law, as pressure decreases, the volume of gas increases. Since the volume of the bubble is directly proportional to its diameter, the diameter of the bubble will increase as it rises towards the surface. Therefore, the correct answer is C, the diameter of the bubbles will increase.

One Day, While Swimming Below the Surface of the Ocean