A fish maintains its depth in fresh water by adjusting the air content of porous bone or air sacs to make its average density the same as that of the water. Suppose that with its air sacs collapsed, a fish has a density of 1.08 g/cm3. To what fraction of its expanded body volume must the fish inflate the air sacs to reduce its density to that of water?
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Textbook Solutions for Fundamentals of Physics:
Question
The bends during/fight. Anyone who scuba dives is advised not to fly within the next 24 h because the air mixture for diving can introduce nitrogen to the bloodstream. Without allowing the nitrogen to come out of solution slowly, any sudden air-pressure reduction (such as during airplane ascent) can result in the nitrogen forming bubbles in the blood, creating the bends, which can be painful and even fatal. Military special operation forces are especially at risk. What is the change in pressure on such a special-op soldier who must scuba dive at a depth of 20 m in seawater one day and parachute at an altitude of 7.6 km the next day? Assume that the average air density within the altitude range is 0.87 kg/m3.
Solution
The first step in solving 14 problem number 8 trying to solve the problem we have to refer to the textbook question: The bends during/fight. Anyone who scuba dives is advised not to fly within the next 24 h because the air mixture for diving can introduce nitrogen to the bloodstream. Without allowing the nitrogen to come out of solution slowly, any sudden air-pressure reduction (such as during airplane ascent) can result in the nitrogen forming bubbles in the blood, creating the bends, which can be painful and even fatal. Military special operation forces are especially at risk. What is the change in pressure on such a special-op soldier who must scuba dive at a depth of 20 m in seawater one day and parachute at an altitude of 7.6 km the next day? Assume that the average air density within the altitude range is 0.87 kg/m3.
From the textbook chapter Fluids you will find a few key concepts needed to solve this.
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