How Does Pressure Affect Water Density in the Mariana Trench?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the effects of pressure on water density in the Mariana Trench, specifically at a depth of approximately 11 km where the pressure is significantly high. The original poster presents a problem involving the calculation of water density at this depth, questioning the assumption that water is incompressible.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Conceptual clarification

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the relationship between pressure, volume change, and density, with some questioning the validity of the incompressibility assumption for water at such depths. There is also discussion about how to calculate changes in volume and density based on pressure.

Discussion Status

The conversation is ongoing, with participants examining different aspects of the problem and questioning assumptions. Some guidance has been offered regarding the relationship between mass, volume, and density, but no consensus has been reached on the method to determine the change in density.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the complexity of the problem due to the high pressures involved and the need to consider the compressibility of water, which is typically assumed to be incompressible in many contexts.

mandy9008
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Homework Statement


The deepest point in the ocean is in the Mariana Trench, about 11 km deep. The pressure at that point is huge, about 1.13 x108 N/m2.
(a) The deepest point in the ocean is in the Mariana Trench, about 11 km deep. The pressure at that point is huge, about 1.13 x108 N/m2.
(b) The density of water at the surface is 1.03 x103 kg/m3. Find its density at the bottom.


Homework Equations


P=B(ΔV/V)


The Attempt at a Solution


a. 1.13 x108 N/m2 = -(2.15 x109 Pa)(ΔV/(1.00 m3))
ΔV = -0.053 m3
b. Since water is not compressible, shouldn't the density be the same at the bottom of the ocean as the top?
 
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Well, everything is compressible, only the force required to compress it is different for each material. I don't know what your a. question was, since it seems you copied it wrong, but I see you calculated some sort of deltaV. If the volume changed, shouldn't the density have also changed?

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/permot3.html
 
yes, i did copy part a wrong. the question for part a was: (a) Calculate the change in volume of 1.00 m3 of water carried from the surface to the bottom of the Pacific.
so, if the density is different, how do i determine the change?
 
Well I'm not sure, but you should be able to calculate the weight of 1m3 water (don't know the density of sea-water...), and after you carried it down, the mass is still the same, so because m = qV, where q is density, you could say q1*V1 = q2*V2, and only q2 is unknown.
 

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