Chapter 13, Problem 28P

There is a maximum depth at which a diver can breathe through a snorkel tube (Figure 13.41) because as the depth increases, so does the pressure difference, which tends to collapse the diver’s lungs. Since the snorkel connects the air in the lungs to the atmosphere at the surface, the pressure inside the lungs is atmospheric pressure. What is the external-internal pressure difference when the diver’s lungs are at a depth of 6.1 m (about 20 ft)? Assume that the diver is in fresh water. (A scuba diver breathing from compressed air tanks can operate at greater depths than can a snorkeler, since the pressure of the air inside the scuba diver’s lungs increases to match the external pressure of the water.)

Figure 13.41

Problem 28.