Pressure of 11,000m Water Column: Crushing or Equal to Bottom of Ocean?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the pressure experienced in a hypothetical 11,000-meter water column compared to being at the bottom of the ocean. Participants agree that the pressure would be equivalent, with calculations indicating that 11,000 meters of water creates approximately 1078 bars or 15,642 psi of pressure. The density of seawater and the atmospheric pressure at sea level are noted as factors that affect the overall pressure experienced. Clarifications are made regarding the difference between meters and feet, emphasizing that 11,000 meters results in significantly higher pressure. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding water pressure in different contexts, whether in a cylinder or the ocean.
Gondur
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Suppose a cylinder was made. It is the same height as the deepest part of the ocean to the ocean surface - about 11,000 metres and about 1 metre wide.

The cylinder was filled with water right to the top and stood on the Earth's surface.

A small hole at the bottom of the cyclinder was opened and you jumped inside.

Would you get crushed by the water pressure of the weight of the column of water?

Would it be the same as being at the bottom of the ocean?
 
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Gondur said:
Would you get crushed by the water pressure of the weight of the column of water?

Would it be the same as being at the bottom of the ocean?

If we disregard the cylinder bursting, and disregard how you get in and out, yes to both.
 
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Nice thought experiment. Do you have any formulas we can use ? What is the pressure difference between the ocean surface and the 11000 m deep bottom ?
 
My uncle is very fat. He needs a 3m wide cylinder. Would that make a difference ?
 
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BvU said:
Nice thought experiment. Do you have any formulas we can use ? What is the pressure difference between the ocean surface and the 11000 m deep bottom ?

It doesn't matter if the water is in the ocean or the cylinder. 11,000 feet of head creates 4769 psi of pressure.
 
Now that we have fun, @Gondur: can you reproduce this pressure ? I get a different result. Lots (well...) of big and small differences.
 
Water column is 11000 m, not 11000 feet -- factor 3 worse
Density of sea water is around 1020 kg/m3 -- offsets the 9.81
Pressure at sea level is higher than at 11000 m height -- so the sea bottom is worse

Don't want readers to get the wrong idea.. :rolleyes:

All in good spirit.
 
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BvU said:
Water column is 11000 m, not 11000 feet -- factor 3 worse

Whoops, thanks for correcting me 11000m of head is 1078 bars of pressure, or 15642 psi.

BvU said:
Pressure at sea level is higher than at 11000 m height -- so the sea bottom is worse

Do you mean the 1 bar atmospheric pressure at sea level? Not very significant, and I think it just confuses the OP who was just wondering about the equivalence of open bodies of water compared to cylinders.
 
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