Question

How does a sperm whales body adjust to hydrostatic pressure?

Answer 1

Sperm whales adjust to hydrostatic pressure by osmoregulation, which involves passing dilute urine and actively transporting salts through their gills. In freshwater, they pass a lot of dilute urine, while in a marine environment, they drink seawater and excrete excess salts through their gills.

Step-by-step explanation:

Sperm whales have evolved osmoregulatory mechanisms to adjust to hydrostatic pressure in their environment. When in a hypotonic freshwater environment, they pass a lot of dilute urine and achieve electrolyte balance through active transport of salts through their gills. In a hypertonic marine environment, they start drinking seawater and excrete excess salts through their gills and urine.

Answer 2

Step-by-step explanation:

Sperm whales can dive down to 2000m which is 200 atmospheres in pressure on top of its body. Whales access reserve oxygen in its blood and muscles – not from the air in its lungs. Whales have more than 2x the hemoglobin in their blood as humans have and 10x the myoglobin. A SPERM WHALE can dive down more than 2,000 meters and can stay submerged for up to an hour. Some sea creatures exploit great depths.

Spermaceti and Diving Capabilities :

One common theory is that the fluid—which hardens to wax when cold—helps the whale alter its buoyancy so it can dive deep and rise again. Sperm whales are known to dive as deep as 3,280 feet in search of squid to eat.