How many meters underwater is 3.128 atm?
To determine how many meters underwater is equivalent to a specific pressure, you need to use the concept of hydrostatic pressure.
Hydrostatic pressure is the pressure exerted by a fluid at rest due to the force of gravity. The formula to calculate hydrostatic pressure is:
P = ρgh
where:
- P is the pressure in Pascal (Pa)
- ρ is the density of the fluid (kg/m³)
- g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s²)
- h is the height or depth of the fluid column from the surface (m)
In this case, the pressure is given in atmospheres (atm). To convert atm to Pa, we use the conversion factor:
1 atm = 101325 Pa
Given that the pressure is 3.128 atm, we can convert it to Pascal:
P = 3.128 atm * 101325 Pa/atm ≈ 318080 Pa
Now we can rearrange the hydrostatic pressure formula to solve for h:
h = P / (ρg)
The density of seawater is approximately 1025 kg/m³, and the acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 m/s². Plugging in these values:
h = 318080 Pa / (1025 kg/m³ * 9.8 m/s²) ≈ 31.7 meters
Therefore, 3.128 atm is equivalent to approximately 31.7 meters underwater.