The bends during flight. 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.
Fluid Pressure
The term fluid pressure is coined as, the measurement of the force per unit area of a given surface of a closed container. It is a branch of physics that helps to study the properties of fluid under various conditions of force.
Gauge Pressure
Pressure is the physical force acting per unit area on a body; the applied force is perpendicular to the surface of the object per unit area. The air around us at sea level exerts a pressure (atmospheric pressure) of about 14.7 psi but this doesn’t seem to bother anyone as the bodily fluids are constantly pushing outwards with the same force but if one swims down into the ocean a few feet below the surface one can notice the difference, there is increased pressure on the eardrum, this is due to an increase in hydrostatic pressure.
The bends during flight. 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.
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