PADI Divemaster Certification Practice Exam

At what depth does ambient pressure reach 2 bar in fresh water?

1. 10.3 meters

2. 20 meters

3. 30 meters

4. 5 feet

The correct answer is: 10.3 meters

To determine the depth at which ambient pressure reaches 2 bar in fresh water, it's essential to understand the relationship between water depth and pressure. At sea level, atmospheric pressure is approximately 1 bar (or 1013 hPa). When diving, the pressure increases due to the weight of the water above the diver. Fresh water exerts a pressure increase of about 0.1 bar for every meter of depth. Therefore, to calculate the total pressure at a given depth, you add the atmospheric pressure at the surface (1 bar) to the pressure due to the water column above. For a total ambient pressure of 2 bar, you subtract the atmospheric pressure: 2 bar (total pressure) - 1 bar (atmospheric pressure) = 1 bar (pressure due to water) Given that pressure increases by approximately 0.1 bar for every meter of fresh water, you find that: 1 bar / 0.1 bar per meter = 10 meters of depth. Since we want the pressure to be 2 bar, we include the additional bar of atmospheric pressure that exists at the surface. Thus, the depth at which the ambient pressure reaches 2 bar equals the addition of the 1 bar from water pressure at