What is the relationship between depth and pressure in a diving context?

In a diving context, pressure increases with depth due to the weight of the water above a diver. As a diver descends into the water, the amount of water that lies above them increases, which results in a higher pressure exerted on their body. This phenomenon can be explained by the hydrostatic pressure equation, which states that pressure is directly related to the depth of a fluid column. Specifically, every additional 10 meters of seawater adds approximately one atmosphere (atm) of pressure.

Thus, when a diver goes deeper, they experience substantial increases in pressure, which can have various effects on the body, such as on air-filled spaces like lungs and sinuses, and can influence how gases are absorbed into the bloodstream. Understanding this relationship is crucial for divers to manage their ascent and descent safely, particularly to avoid decompression sickness, which can occur due to rapid changes in pressure.

Awareness of how pressure varies with depth is vital for safe diving practices and helps in planning dives, understanding buoyancy, and managing breathing gas mixtures effectively.