Why does pressure increase with depth underwater?
An object will feel more pressure underwater than in air because liquid is heavier and denser than air. The deeper you dive, the more water there is to exert greater force. As pressure builds with depth, air molecules become compressed, decreasing in volume and increasing in density. Since our bodies our primarily liquid, we tend to feel this change in pressure around air-filled spaces within bodies such as our ears, sinuses, and lungs. • Q: How is sound transmitted underwater? A: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration states that when sound travels underwater, it changes the pressure of its medium. In a liquid medium, sound is transmitted by compressing and decompressing water molecules. Since water molecules are denser than those found in air, sound travels faster underwater. However, water temperature, salinity and depth can affect the speed of sound underwater. For more information on this topic, please visit: NOAA Ocean Explorer ‘Understanding Ocean Acoustics’ • Q: Wh
