An offshore oil rig will drill into the ocean floor which is located 1 mile below the water surface. Determine the pressure at that location (i. e. at 1 mile ocean depth). Could a human body withstand that pressure? What would happen to an unprotected, exposed person at that depth? (2360 psi)

15.65 MPa 150 times of human body internal pressure

Explanation:

Given:

- Depth of the ocean for offshore drilling d = 1 mile

Find:

Determine the pressure at that location

What would happen to an unprotected, exposed person at that depth?

Solution:

- The pressure at a certain depth of a fluid can be calculated with:

                                       P = p_w*g*d

Where, P is the pressure , p_w is the density of water ( 997 kg / m^3 ).

- Hence @ d = 1.0 mile = 1.6 km = 1600 m:

                                       P = 997*9.81*1600

                                       P = 15.65 MPa

- Whereas the pressure inside a human body is 101 KPa, Pressure under ocean @  1 mile of depth is 150 times in magnitude, enough to crush the human body!