Diver Down 2

Now suppose you build a 1 meter high alcove at the bottom right corner of the tank and refill the tank. What pressure does the diver measure upon entering the alcove?

A) A bit more than 1 atmosphere

B) About 2 atmospheres

C) About 3 atmospheres

D) About 10 atmospheres

E) Something else

Solution: B. Again, use the formula for pressure in a static fluid, P = P₀ + ρgd = 1.013E5 + 1000*9.8*10 ≈ 2E5 Pa ≈ 2 atm. We cannot use the top of the alcove as the reference point for P₀ because it is not vented to the atmosphere. The formula is independent of the shape of the container.