Final answer:
The total pressure on a diver at a depth of 100m is approximately 11 atm, or around 1.11 x 10^6 N/m^2. This includes both the atmospheric pressure at sea level (1 atm) and the pressure from the water column above the diver (10 atm).
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the pressure caused by sea water when diving to a depth of 100m, we must consider the pressure contribution from the water and the atmospheric pressure at the surface. The total pressure acting on a diver at a given depth is the sum of the atmospheric pressure and the pressure exerted by the water column above the diver. Given that every 10 meters of salt water adds an additional pressure equivalent to one atmosphere (1 atm) due to the weight of the water, and the atmospheric pressure at sea level is approximately 1 atm, we can use this information to determine the total pressure at 100m depth.
At sea level, the atmospheric pressure is 1 atm. For every additional 10 meters of depth in salt water, an extra 1 atm is added. Therefore, at 100m, the pressure from the water alone would be 10 atm (since 100m / 10m = 10). Adding the 1 atm of atmospheric pressure, we get a total pressure of 11 atm acting on the diver. To convert this to pascals (since 1 atm is approximately 101325 pascals), the total pressure would be 11 x 101325 Pa, which equals 1114575 pascals or around 1.11 x 106 N/m2.
Understanding pressure underwater is critical for ensuring the safety and health of divers. Increases in pressure can affect buoyancy, gas solubility in the body's fluids, and the amount of gas divers consume during a dive. Thus, divers must use specialized techniques and equipment to adapt to these changes and manage their buoyancy and air consumption under the increased pressures.