How does pressure increase as you go deeper in the ocean?
Quick Answer
Water pressure rises because the weight of all the water above you increases with depth. Roughly, pressure increases by about 1 atmosphere for every 10 meters of seawater.
The Full Story
Pressure in a fluid comes from the weight of the fluid above a point. In the ocean, the deeper you go, the more water is pressing down on you from above. Near the surface, pressure increases by about 1 atmosphere every 10 meters, so at 100 meters depth it is roughly 11 atmospheres including the air at the surface. This is why deep-sea vehicles need strong hulls, and why human divers have strict depth limits and procedures. The principle applies to all fluids, not just seawater, and is described by hydrostatic pressure.
Key Facts
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"Why does the ocean crush things deeper down?"
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