Question

Let us assume that a seal's lungs makes up 10% of its body's volume when full, and that the average density of a seal is 980 kg/m3 when its lungs are full. If the air in the seal's lungs obeys Boyle's law, at what depth would this seal achieve neutral buoyancy in sea water, which has a density of 1020 kg/m3? Assume there are no changes to other tissues in the seal as it dives and that atmospheric pressure is about 1x10^5 Pa. Hint, determine how much the volume of the lungs change when the seal is neutrally buoyant.

Answer 1