What is the volume of air in a balloon at 66 fsw if it contained 1500 cubic inches at sea level?

To solve this question, we need to consider how the pressure changes affect the volume of a gas, in this case, the air inside the balloon. According to Boyle's Law, the relationship between the pressure and volume of a gas at constant temperature is given by the equation ( P_1 \times V_1 = P_2 \times V_2 ). This means that as the pressure increases, the volume decreases, and vice versa.

At sea level, the atmospheric pressure is approximately 1 atmosphere (atm), which is also equivalent to about 14.7 pounds per square inch (psi). When diving, the pressure increases by 1 atm for every 33 feet of seawater (fsw) due to the weight of the water above.

At 66 fsw, the total pressure is:

• 1 atm (at sea level) + 2 atm (for the 66 feet of seawater) = 3 atm.

To find the volume of the air in the balloon at this depth, we can set up the equation using the given values:

• Initial volume ( V_1 = 1500 ) in³ (at sea level).

• Initial pressure ( P_1 = 1 ) atm