What is the absolute pressure in the ocean at 16 meters (53 feet) depth?

What is the absolute pressure in the ocean at 16 meters (53 feet) depth?

• A. 2.6 atmospheres absolute
• B. 1.0 atmosphere
• C. 3.0 atmospheres absolute
• D. 2.0 atmospheres absolute

Answer: (A)

Pressure in the ocean grows with depth because the water column above adds to the pressure from the air at the surface. Absolute pressure equals the atmospheric pressure at the surface plus the hydrostatic pressure from the water above you. For seawater, the hydrostatic pressure increases about 1 atmosphere for every 10 meters of depth. At 16 meters, that water column contributes roughly 1.6 atmospheres of pressure. Add the surface atmospheric pressure of about 1 atmosphere, and you get about 2.6 atmospheres total. So the value is around 2.6 atm. (For context, 1.0 atm is at the surface, 2.0 atm corresponds to roughly 10 m depth, and 3.0 atm to about 20 m.)

Pressure in the ocean grows with depth because the water column above adds to the pressure from the air at the surface. Absolute pressure equals the atmospheric pressure at the surface plus the hydrostatic pressure from the water above you.

For seawater, the hydrostatic pressure increases about 1 atmosphere for every 10 meters of depth. At 16 meters, that water column contributes roughly 1.6 atmospheres of pressure. Add the surface atmospheric pressure of about 1 atmosphere, and you get about 2.6 atmospheres total.

So the value is around 2.6 atm. (For context, 1.0 atm is at the surface, 2.0 atm corresponds to roughly 10 m depth, and 3.0 atm to about 20 m.)